The Dove
by Sybl Angelkat
Summary: (takes place after the last anime episode with some of the manga thrown in). Akito was in absolute disbelief when that white bird turned out to be something else entirely. In a world full of darkness, curses, and loneliness, he discovers that there are more than just demons; there are angels and light as well. Male Akito x Original Character. Rating is T for later content.
1. Chapter 1

It was another one of those days. Everyone had gone; Tohru had just given her tearful speech on how much they'd all miss him if and when he died. Akito sat slumped against the wall, his robes hanging loosely around his bony frame. He'd tugged the shoulders up again, but they always seemed to sink back in. He'd have to have them taken in again…it was just one of many bothers. He resisted the temptation just to tug them off entirely because it was still a bit chilly outside right now. The warm sunshine felt good, but the breeze could tip the balance into "uncomfortably cold" territory.

Akito felt drained. He'd given them all a thorough chewing out. He'd demanded that Hatori erase Tohru's memories only to be defied openly. He'd had to listen to the accursed girl's speech while pulling her hair hard enough to almost rip it out. Shigure and Yuki had stopped him from doing any further damage, but they hadn't been enough to protect the two of them the other way around. Akito demanded that Tohru stop crying and he'd begun to shake. They'd all felt it. They'd all felt him start to weaken. The rage he'd been holding onto since birth had begun to crack, the hurt underneath it at risk of being revealed. His armored shell was like a rotting tooth: everything had been fine until the hard outer shell had cracked. Now, he was exhausted. He wanted nothing more than to take to his bed and hide under the covers the way he'd been doing since he was a youth. Instead, he stayed there, leaning against the wall. A white bird was fluttering around a basin of water, occasionally taking a drink and perching on the edge, but it didn't seem all that interested. It hopped and fluttered and seemed to not really know what it wanted or where it was going. Akito watched as it got closer. It wasn't the first time he'd seen this animal or even had it come this close. He wondered, though, why it had taken such a liking to him. The god spirit from the zodiac curse had partly been to blame, he supposed, but even that had its limits. Cautiously, curiously, he stretched out a pale hand.

The bird tilted its head and glanced at him with its large, dark eyes. Without hesitation, it fluttered its wings and landed in his palm. Judging by the shape, he supposed it was some breed of dove. It was an unusual bird, though, now that he had it up close. It was small to be a dove and its eyes were…green. They were as green as the new spring grass that was coming up. Narrowing his eyes in concentration, he tried to remember if he'd ever seen a picture of such an animal. Nothing came to mind. Running his fingers over the soft white feathers, he wished it was this easy to deal with people. Animals were happy if they had enough food and drink and maybe a place to stay. They didn't demand anything of him or even ask. They didn't try to make him be something he wasn't. People here were either terrified of him or they made him out to be an actual god, which wore him out. Every time he got sick or otherwise "failed" their expectations, things would be whispered about the curse getting worse. That was the worst part—they didn't even want to acknowledge that he was just a man, not even a fully grown one at that.

"I can't do this anymore…" he sighed to the silent bird on his hand, "I'm so tired…I just want to get on with it. They won't miss me anyway. Maybe the girl will, but not the way I want to be missed."

The bird tilted its head, seeming to understand.

"My strength is failing me," he told her, "and they know it. Soon, someone will act and try to make it happen faster. For all I know, it's already happening. See?"

He grazed his cheek against her wing. The cool softness felt wonderful on the burning skin. What he didn't realize was that he was crying.

"Just once…I want to be like the others," he sighed, "nobody asked me…it was all decided from conception. Why?"

The bird moved cautiously forward. For one awful second, he was afraid it would try to peck him or something, but it didn't. Its beak gently brushed his cheek. He couldn't see it, but the bird was drinking his tears. In his mind, it had something to do with the saltiness. In the bird's mind, however, a lot more was going on.

"I'm back," Hatori said quietly, waiting on the usual explosion that came with disobeyed orders. Akito didn't answer. He was too preoccupied with his new friend.

"Are you angry that I didn't erase Tohru Honda's memories?"

Still, there was no reply. The little dove, just smaller than Akito's slender hand, had flown away, but Akito appeared not to have really noticed. His dark navy-colored eyes were fixed in a glazed stare at some far-off point outside. Hatori felt a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding escape—if Akito was furious with him, he'd have reacted by now.

"Akito, maybe you should go to bed."

Akito made a few token protests, but they were weak and half-hearted at best. He didn't really want to leave this place that he felt comfortable in, but he was getting increasingly tired and weak. Hatori helped him up and carried him to his bedroom. Akito didn't remember the process of changing clothes or being tucked in at all—he was already fading into unconsciousness by the time Hatori picked him up. And during that time, a white dove followed them closely.

_So much pain…so much fury…_

"Have you ever seen such a thing?" one of the maids commented, turning the sheets down for him, "Should I—"

"No," Akito protested.

"Suppose it…made a mess?"

"That's what I'm paying you for, isn't it? Now get out!"

The maid bowed respectfully, though her jaw twitched with frustration. With Akito's temper tantrums, she usually had her hands full sweeping up the shards of broken things and mopping up spilled things. She made her exit hastily.

Hatori's expression was one of deep disapproval, but he said nothing. He was used to this, but he really wished that Akito would be more respectful to the hired help. After hearing what Tohru had done for Yuki, Shigure, and Kyo after being hired on as a housekeeper, he knew not to underestimate those who kept things running smoothly. Akito stretched out on the bed, watching the little white dove.

"I'm just going to leave this window open," Hatori said, "we wouldn't want your new friend getting claustrophobic."

The dragon-spirited man was just as surprised as the others were. Animals actually had this tendency to avoid Akito unless he commanded them to come forward. They feared him—everyone feared him. But the dove did not. In fact, he noticed that Akito was being very careful with the little dove. As if responding to his thoughts, Akito held out his hand again. The dove landed there and in a flash, both hands tightened around its body. He could feel the little bird's heart racing, could feel it squirm as it tried to escape.

"You know, don't you?" he asked. The little bird's legs kicked and he felt its muscles working, trying to slip free of his trembling fingers.

"You know I could kill you right here with just a little more pressure…what's stopping me?"

The bird's body went slack. Hatori's instinct was to surge forward and rip the bird out of his grasp, but Akito released his grip on it the second he thought to move.

"What did you do to it?" Hatori demanded.

"Oh, calm down. I didn't hurt it. It just…."

Akito's face had paled even further. An uncomfortable nausea came over his stomach as he set it gently down on his covers. The creature's snowy white wings contrasted sharply with the dark blue blanket. Hatori knelt next to the bed and gently prodded the creature's chest for a heartbeat. It was there, slowing down, but steady and strong.

"I didn't hurt her…" Akito said quietly, almost pleading, "I wasn't really going to…"

Hatori frowned.

"How do you know it's a 'her'?" he asked.

"Just a feeling."

The dove twitched. Within the blink of an eye, it had flown away from the two men and settled on the windowsill. It tilted its head, regarding them warily now.

"She seems to be all right now, but you've frightened her," Hatori commented, "if you want her to trust you, you'll have to be more careful."

Akito actually felt something that he hadn't felt in years: guilt. It was only a tiny bit, but it was more than he'd felt in a long time. He held his hand out again, but the bird did not come. In fact, it flew away.

Hatori watched it go, wondering if it would come back.

"Stupid bird," Akito muttered, rolling over so that his back was to Hatori.

"If you need anything, have someone call me," Hatori said quietly, drawing the covers over his charge.

Akito muttered something unintelligible. His eyes had slid closed. The mental and emotional connection that bound all the Zodiac members to Akito was becoming fainter, more distant. It was always there, but it was less pronounced when he slept. It was through this series of invisible cords that he controlled them all.

Hatori left. On his way home, he spotted the bird—at least he thought it was the same one—in a cherry tree. Its white feathers shone softly, contrasting with the pastel pink of the blossoms. She glanced at him and the two held eye contact for longer than what would be considered normal.

_You're not an ordinary bird, are you?_

As if answering his thoughts, a ray of sunshine broke through the bank of clouds that was building up and shone on him.

It was no secret that Akito often took to his bed when he was particularly stressed out because it allowed him an escape from reality. As a result, he actually had a very well-developed imagination due to all the books he'd read. He'd often dream of visiting these places that he was too ill to visit in real life. As the golden sun made its way past the house, leaving a square of light on the floor, his mind escaped its bounds and traveled to the far-reaches of the world. But it came back to the gardens, a place that he'd always regarded as his true home. It was where he could sometimes forget about being ill and cursed.

_ This time, however, he wasn't alone. There was a woman there, kneeling at the edge of one of the ponds. She was giggling at the koi, who were swarming a chunk of bread she'd tossed in there. She watched the fish with rapt attention as if she'd never seen anything more fascinating. The gold light glinting off of their orange-yellow bodies was almost hypnotic to her. The spring breeze ruffled her already very messy hair. Though it was as dark black as his, the light gave the sloppy cloud of curls a bluish shine. Her skin was a pale ivory, but her cheeks were pink. She looked up at him with dark green eyes the color of moss. _

_ "Who are you?! What are you doing on my property?!" he demanded._

_ "I saw the tops of the cherry trees," she said calmly, "and I just had to get a closer look. This garden is amazing…it's almost as beautiful as the one back home. It's a place a person could live in forever."_

_ She shredded the rest of the bread she'd been holding and the fish went after it with gusto. Her laugh bubbled up from deep in her lungs._

_ "You couldn't read the sign?! You're not supposed to be here!" he snapped, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't have you arrested!"_

_ She glanced up at him again. _

_ "I just did," she told him, "it's a shame to keep a place as beautiful as this walled off from the rest of the world."_

_ "It belongs to me! Now get out!" he snapped._

_ She looked at him with a genuinely puzzled expression, but did not move._

_ "Just you? No one else?"_

_ "Yes! Now go on before I…"_

_ He began to quiver with rage._

_ "Before you what?" she asked. He lunged at her and tried to seize her by the throat, but she seemed to slip out of his grasp easily. There was a flash of light and she disappeared just as his hands reached her. _

_ "Before you what?" she asked gently. He nearly jumped out of his skin. She was behind him and he wasn't sure how she got there. He tried to snatch her again, but she pulled the same stunt. When he finally figured out where she'd gone this time, she was up in one of the trees. He glared at her as he watched her dangling upside down from one of the branches._

_ "This is a habit of yours, isn't it?" she asked, "Running people off. Holding what you do have very close to your heart so it can't be taken away. Walling everything up to the point of where you have no one to share it with."_

_ "IT'S MINE! I'LL DO WHAT I WANT WITH IT!" He roared._

_ "I see. And what is it that you want?" she asked._

_ "FOR YOU TO GET OUT!"_

_ He picked up a nearby rock and pitched it at her, but she caught it easily. _

_ "Good arm," she observed, "let's see if you can catch as well as you throw."_

_ She pitched it back at him. It would have nailed him in the gut if he'd been any slower. When he opened his hands, he stared. The rock started to crumble, but instead of being a bunch of ordinary gray gravel, it was as if something had been contained in it the entire time. A sparkling diamond, probably worth a lot of money, remained after the outer shell had broken off._

_ "What the…?"_

_ The fury had fizzled for now, replaced by curiosity._

_ "How did you do that?" he asked, puzzled._

_ She grinned cryptically._

_ "Oh, I'm good at taking things people throw at me and turning them into something else. You should try it sometime. After all, it is your dream."_

_ He tested the weight of the gem in his palm._

_ "I don't remember it feeling this real for a dream," he admitted. His palms were still stinging from the impact, still sweating from his temper explosion earlier. He could feel the breeze on his skin as well as the warmth from the sun. He could smell the cherry blossoms. _

_ "Funny how that happens sometimes, isn't it? Well, I'd best be going now."_

_ "Wait…"_

_ She paused at the top of the fence._

_ "Who are you?" he asked, much more calm this time._

_ "My name is Melody," she told him._

_ "Melody what?"_

_ "Just Melody."_

_ She bounded over the top of the fence and was gone. _

Akito's eyes opened. It was early evening judging by the light. He stretched, groaning at the heaviness of his limbs. He ached on the side he'd been lying on from having slept so long in one spot. When the feeling came back to his hand, he was puzzled. Something hard was clenched in his fist. Slowly uncurling his fingers, his eyes widened. There was a shining diamond in his palm.

…..

"That's quite a story," Hatori confessed, "I've never heard or seen anyone like this Melody you were describing. I hope you're not running another fever."

He placed the thermometer in Akito's mouth despite the younger not-quite-grown-man's protests. Akito sighed through his nose, expelling the air out in an annoyed puff. They waited in silence until the mercury crawled up the glass shaft. Hatori took it over to the lamp to examine it.

"This wasn't a hallucination," Akito snapped, frustrated, "it was real! And I have this to prove it!"

He slapped the gem into the older man's palm with more force than necessary. To Hatori's credit, he barely winced at all despite the harsh sting. Akito felt a mean little bit of satisfaction when Hatori's green eyes widened visibly upon seeing the diamond under the light. The rays glanced off the various facets and sent a rainbow of sparkles dancing over the walls, the floor, and the ceiling.

"Where did you get this?" he asked, stunned.

"I just told you that the girl gave it to me! Haven't you been listening?!" Akito snarled.

"All right, all right. It's just that this sort of thing…doesn't usually happen…"

Akito smacked his forehead and resisted the urge to throw something.

"Hatori, we live in a family that is cursed and where people turn into animals. I can see into every single one of your minds at a moment's notice. Can't you get it through your thick skull that 'what usually happens' isn't at all usual for us?!"

"I suppose you're right about that. But this Melody girl…how is it that there were plenty of people out and about this afternoon and not a single one of them mentioned her?"

"They'd be too scared," Akito muttered, "they wouldn't tell me, they'd just try to run her off."

"But you saw her and none of them did…I hear things all the time. When they think no one is listening, they talk about everything that goes on around here. Not one of them mentioned this blue-haired woman. And there weren't any bread crumbs floating in the pond when I went past it earlier."

"There wouldn't be. The fish would have eaten them."

Akito turned the diamond over in his hands, looking at the different colors it cast on the wall.

"I want you to find out who she is."

"All right, I'll do my best."

He heard the patronizing tone in Hatori's voice and wanted to punch him, but it wouldn't do any good. Hatori, he knew, was only going along with this because he, like everyone else, feared Akito. It should have made Akito feel better to know that he really would try because of that, but it just made him more frustrated. Why couldn't someone do something for him because they genuinely wanted to?

_Like Tohru,_ a nasty little inner voice told him, _and you rewarded her by almost ripping her hair out._

Akito didn't say anything else. Outside, an explosive clap of thunder announced the coming of a storm. He huddled in his over-sized robes and clenched his teeth. Thunderstorms were annoying and this would be two nights in a row that he didn't sleep well.

"Is there anything else you need?" Hatori asked.

"No. Just go."

Akito stood, holding onto the wall for support. He walked over to the sliding door and opened it just enough to peer out. The rain was coming down in sheets and a big gust of wind whipped around him. He shivered and quickly slammed it shut. His face had been bathed in swirling raindrops and he wiped it dry on the sleeve of his robe. The bright red made his skin seem even paler in the scant light.

A fluttering noise got his attention. There, in the sill of the window, was the dove. She was soaked and trying to seek refuge there, but she was still getting wet. Rain water spattered the floor as the wind whipped it inside. He muttered to himself about how dumb Hatori was for not closing the thing though it was half-hearted.

"You're pretty brave, coming back here," he told her, "especially after what I did to you earlier. You're either really brave or really stupid."

She shook her wings, trying to shake the water out.

"Why don't you just come inside so I can close the damn window?" he asked her. She didn't move.

"Come on," he muttered, "hurry up before we both get wet!"

He held out his palm. She seemed to have some reservations before stepping into it, but he waited. Once she was on there, he made no attempt to close his hand, instead, trying not to make any sudden movements. With the other hand, he managed to get the window closed. The storm seemed more muted and further away now, the rain actually sounding more gentle than it was. He really despised this part of spring, but it helped the garden grow at least.

"Hold still," he said, irritated by all the flapping she was doing to try and dry off, "it's your own fault, you know, for not finding a place to stay out of the rain."

He dried her off. She eyed the towel with some uncertainty, but he was careful just as Hatori had told him to be. After a few moments, she wasn't soaked anymore, but just a little bit damp. He stroked her feathers, barely touching them at all at first. He felt her twitch and thought she would fly away, but she didn't.

"I didn't order you to come back," he said, "and I didn't feed you, either. Why did you come back?"

Of course, there was silence. Inside, though, he knew she had done so because she wanted to. It had been the same as Tohru—she'd wanted to come today even though she knew she might pay for doing so. Both of them certainly had a lot more nerve than he'd initially guessed. And that Melody girl…he glanced over at the diamond still sitting on the desk. She'd had a lot of nerve as well. Even visitors to this area would overhear stories about the Sohmas and stay away. Three people…entities…beings…in one day. As he stroked the bird's soft wings, he wondered why. Something had certainly changed overnight. Maybe it had something to do with that damn cat.

Hatori wasn't sure why he felt the need to tell anyone. Perhaps it was because he'd kept things to himself for so long. Perhaps it was that deep down he knew a miracle when he saw one. Maybe it was something else. The events of today had unnerved him a bit.

"Shigure, I'm…concerned…if he hadn't had the diamond, I would have been able to pass it off as one of his fever dreams. And then there was that dove…someone told me it was still there this morning. Akito won't let it out of his sight and it won't leave anyway."

"That is unusual," Shigure had to admit, "is there any potential at all that someone in the Zodiac could have been overlooked?"

"None," Hatori said, "I know every single one of them. I made it a priority to know them all in case something ever came up. It's my job as the guardian…it comes with the territory. But there's certainly enough evidence that this isn't a normal bird. It hasn't left any droppings anywhere and it seems to understand what we're saying. I mentioned trying to send it away earlier and it pecked me."

Shigure chuckled.

"Apparently, it wants to leave on its own terms. Are you sure that Akito isn't using his god influence on it? He's done it before."

"Yes, but that was different. The animals that he forced to come to him would always leave if his concentration wavered. It was still hanging around him this morning—he says it was there when he woke up. And then there was the matter of the dream he had last night."

"Dream?"

"Yes…there was a strange bluish-black-haired girl—"

"—with green eyes and a newsboy cap," Shigure finished for him, "I dreamed about her, too. What do you suppose that was all about?"

While the two men were talking and the rest of the Sohma household was waking up, something was happening out in the woods, something that no one but the real God Himself knew about.

It was about nine in the morning when said girl was coming up the walk. She adjusted her cap nervously, wishing she didn't have so many butterflies in her stomach. It wasn't the first time she'd been in a situation like this, but it was yet only the second. She felt as if she'd never quite get the hang of it and would probably make many mistakes. She placed her suitcase next to her foot and raised a hesitant hand to knock. There was an enormous gate in the way and she wasn't sure if anyone was on the other side. Exactly how did one get inside? She thought of climbing over it, but nerves made her weak and that wall looked far too high. She felt foolish for doing so, but was about to rap on it when it swung open, making her jump.

"Oh! Hello! I didn't realize anyone was back there," she said, voice high-pitched and shaky.

Hatori raised an eyebrow. He masked his surprise well.

"Whom exactly am I speaking to?"

"My name is Melody, Melody…" she paused, glancing down at a folder she held in her hand, "…Myers. I…uh…came for the …uh…assistant position."

"Assistant position?" Hatori was genuinely puzzled. What on earth was she talking about? As if realizing he doubted her, she offered a newspaper clipping. It was from yesterday's paper. Right there in the classified ads was a request for an assistant, very cryptically worded. Below was the phone number for his office as well as the address.

"Yeah…this one right here. I did come to the right place, didn't I? I do get lost easily."

"Yes, this is the right place, but I don't remember—"

A noisy clap of thunder cut them off and rain began to pour down in buckets.

"Why don't you come inside?"

She picked up her suitcase and followed him. He'd had to practically shout in order to be heard above the din.

Sohma House loomed ahead, an enormous labyrinth. The main house was actually several houses that had been joined together. Each family had a separate segment of it, but it could be traveled through as if it were one unit. Hatori was very reluctant to take her there, but he didn't have much choice. Wishing he knew what on earth was going on, he stepped aside to let her in. She respectfully stepped out of her black ballet flats without being told and followed him. A couple of housemaids looked at her, wide-eyed, and skittered away.

"What was up with that?" she asked.

"They're…not used to strangers," Hatori said evasively, "this way. You can leave your things in the office."

She placed the case by the door and settled into the chair he offered her.

"Now then, I'm sorry you had to come all this way for nothing, but I'm not entirely sure where the ad came from. I'm in charge of this office and I really wasn't looking for anyone else to fill the position right now. You could check by the hospital in town, though. They usually have plenty of—"

His gentle let-down was interrupted when the door burst open with a noisy bang. One of the maids was there, shaking and pale.

"Hatori!" was all she had to say. Hatori sprang up from his chair and followed her.

"You'll have to let yourself out," he said quickly, "I'm sorry, but I have to go now."

The girl stared after them in confusion.

"Wait!"

He ignored her. Hearing his pulse beating in his ears as it always did, he interrogated the maid as he followed her.

"What happened?"

"I was bringing him his breakfast and I found him all curled up in the floor. I suppose he was on his way to the bathroom, but he didn't make it. He looks terrible! He was in so much pain that he couldn't speak!"

Akito had woken up not feeling well. This was never news to him, as it happened quite a bit. He had only just noticed that his pet dove was gone when the nausea had come in a crippling wave. He'd started to make the sprint to the bathroom across the hall when the agonizing pain had brought him to his knees. It seared through his middle and seemed to spread. His heart had started to thunder and cold sweat came out on his skin, making him look like a wax figure. He was vaguely aware of throwing up at least once, but it was only acid, as he hadn't eaten anything recently. As his vision began to blur and darken, he was just able to make out the maid that was standing over him, her horrified mouth open in a perfect O.

"H-Hatori…" he gasped out, unable to say more. She sprinted away, leaving him there to tremble.

The girl had followed them all the way up the hall, but Hatori no longer even noticed her. His gaze locked onto what had been the biggest trial of his life: Akito. Despite all the ways Akito had managed to make him miserable, he rarely felt bitterness or anger at the boy. That's really all he was: a sad, scared little boy in a not-quite-grown-man's body. Akito was balled up so completely that no one could get a good look at his face. His robes fanned out around him, making him look even smaller than he already was. He was grunting in pain and the bitter, acidic stench of vomit tainted the air. He was trembling as if his very bones would rattle apart. Hatori knew they had to get him to the hospital area, but he was afraid to touch him for fear he'd hurt him worse. Just as he was trying to formulate a way to move him quickly, the girl knelt next to Akito. Tears were trickling through the tightly-squeezed-shut eyelids. The girl stroked his dark hair back from his face, concern clouding her features.

"You hurt pretty bad right now, don't you?" she asked gently.

If Akito had been able to speak, he'd have shouted at her what an idiot she was. As it was, he was afraid if he opened his mouth now, he'd scream bloody murder and never be able to stop.

She gently tugged the front of his robes open. Since his arms were crossed so tightly over his belly, she couldn't get more than that. Squeezing her hand into the space, she forced it between his tightly clenched arms and his bloated belly. Then, something happened. It was nearly invisible, something that none of them could really see so much as feel. Akito grunted as the pain actually grew worse for a split second, then it all seemed to be concentrating where her hand was. Little by little, it began to diminish. Akito's eyelids fluttered and he was able to see the girl through the tears of pain, though her face was smeared like an Impressionist painting. His hand closed over hers, intending to shove it away, but he lacked the strength. Someone gently lifted him and he was vaguely aware of Hatori's face. He let his eyes slide closed again, drawing in deep lungfuls of air as the pain continued to ease. It still hurt, but he was able to think around it at last.

"What did you just do to him?" Hatori asked, dumbfounded. Normally, it took a large dose of pain medicine to help Akito when he had these spells. He placed Akito on one of the beds and gave said injection just in case it came back.

The girl ignored his question, her hand still on his belly. He noticed that her complexion had paled considerably since this episode had started, but he supposed she'd been frightened. He himself was feeling a little shaky.

"Porphyria," she said, as if reading a book, "a very, very unusual form of it."

He stared, open-mouthed, but only for a second. He had to get Akito stabilized again, give him a glucose drip. He couldn't stand around asking questions just yet.

"Will you stay with him just for a second?" Hatori asked.

"I'd be glad to."

He rushed off to get the supplies, leaving the two of them there. Akito tried to push her hand away, but he felt too weak.

"Who are you?" he demanded, voice raspy.

She only gave him a sad smile and continued to stroke his hair.


	2. Chapter 2

It was a while before he truly felt awake. Even then, the pain medicine blunted his perception. The lights seemed too bright, his limbs too heavy. Akito blinked against the sleepiness. When his vision cleared, he was able to see the girl still sitting on the end of the bed. He could swear he felt his heart stop for a moment. Her face was paler than he remembered, but the same unruly cloud of dark curls surrounded her face. Her hat was pulled down over her eyes to shield them from the fluorescent lights, but he was sure they'd be the same dark green. An uncomfortable squirm rippled through his belly, but it was more from the unsettling realization that this girl resembled the one in his dream so closely than the physical ailment he had. His dark sapphire eyes had grown wide, contrasting sharply with his pale, narrow face.

Hatori appeared at his side.

"She wouldn't leave," he said with a small smile, "even though she was exhausted afterward. She wouldn't even move to another bed."

"Who is she?" Akito asked.

"Her name is Melody."

That sentence carried a lot of weight. They'd all dreamed about her last night, though no one really dared to talk about it. Akito stared in disbelief.

"That's…odd…"

"Yes. One coincidence after another, it seems…"

Melody heard them talking and stirred awake.

"Ugh…sorry about that," she muttered, "I really am. I keep forgetting how easy it is to wear a body out."

She pushed the brim of her hat up a little and he got a good look at her eyes. Green. Of course they were green…

"How do you feel now?" she asked, "Does it hurt at all?"

He sat up experimentally, though Hatori opened his mouth to protest.

"No," he said honestly, "it doesn't."

He probed his belly with one hand. Nothing. The nausea was gone as well.

"What did you do to me?" he demanded.

"I can't really tell you," she admitted, "but maybe I can show you sometime."

"Do you think you can eat something, Akito? You've been out for a long time," Hatori told him.

"I guess," he muttered indifferently. A very noisy gurgle emitted from Melody's stomach and she mashed it in, trying to suppress the noise.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" Hatori asked.

"I wouldn't want to be any trouble."

"Stay," he insisted, "it's the least we can do."

Akito didn't say anything. He was still trying to figure out what was going on. As tempted as he was to ask her if he was the girl from the dream, he was afraid it would sound stupid and decided not to.

"All right," she said reluctantly.

After Hatori had gone, the two of them were left alone. The usual awkward silence that came when Akito wasn't yelling settled over them.

"What happened this morning, anyway?" he asked.

"Well, I came here for the assistant position," she said, "I saw an ad in the paper yesterday. Dr. Sohma and I were talking when one of the maids came in with a panic and said she'd found you in the hallway. I followed them. The rest you already know."

"And you took it upon yourself to interfere in a matter you knew nothing about," Akito said accusingly.

"Yes. And I'm glad I did," she said, "and I'm sure if you're honest with yourself that you're glad I did, too."

She had a lot of guts, that was for sure. The same disconcerting feeling he'd had around Tohru when she'd managed to break past his defenses settled over him like a damp fog.

"I'm sure you've heard the stories," he said darkly, "why would you want anything to do with us?"

She never looked down, never bowed her head.

"Because you need help here. Surely you can't expect one person to bear the burden all by himself, can you?"

There it was again, that cryptic feeling that her words had a double meaning.

"You made me feel better once—so what? You still have no idea of what you're getting into. It's better if you go and look for work somewhere else. Trust me."

"This was where I was sent," she said, "when my father makes his mind up about something, he can be very persistent."

Akito smiled darkly.

"I see."

She could sense the attempt to get inside her head, to intimidate her, but it wouldn't work. It was one of the powers he had and used frequently.

"You'll suffer," he warned her, "just as we suffer. All these people here are under my judgment and they all have to obey me. If your father knew me, he wouldn't want you here or anywhere near us."

Hatori returned with a food-laden tray just in time to hear the last bit of the conversation. He was just backing through the door when Melody said, "If you knew my father, you'd know he sent me here because of you."

The house was ablaze with whispers. Despite Hatori not saying a word, everyone within the radius of the main house knew about the mysterious girl. The most likely source of this news was the maid that had been with them during Akito's attack. There had been others present as well, though they hadn't been noticed.

"I'd have thanked her for not interfering," one of them said bluntly, "the only time we ever get any peace is when he's sick."

"I heard she only touched him and he healed."

"That's probably the only time a girl ever willingly came near him."

"I know I wouldn't."

"Do you think he'll make it?"

"Hard to say."

They all shut up when the mysterious visitor herself passed them. Her glance was neutral, but they all felt something unsettling underneath it. There was a subtle hint of reproach there, and with good reason. She entered her provided room and slid the door closed behind her. It was a tiny room to be sure, but she didn't really mind. The size of the garden more than made up for it, and she could slide the door open there any time she wanted to. It was brightly lit and airy, making her feel right at home. She slid the suitcase aside and spread out on the bed. During her travels, she always kept a diary. As her memory was limitless, she usually kept it more for the sake of sorting her thoughts out than anything else. There were things she could not remember now, but they didn't unsettle her as badly as they had the first time. She couldn't remember her Father's face or even what her home looked like, but those memories would return soon enough. Taking out a white laptop computer, she began to type rapidly:

_March 21, 2013._

_It has been more than thirty years since I last wore skin. It hardly seems like any time at all has passed. My friends have all gone on with their lives and many of them are aging and coming home. Despite their fears, I visited them and told them that there was nothing to fear. For the latest, it was like going to bed after a long day. He was quite content to move to his new home. Father let me stay for a long time, but as always, I was ready to take a break from my adventures in this world. Now I'm back, and this time my charge is in Japan. I can speak the langua ge fluidly, but I still stick out like a sore thumb. People always notice me and not always in the good way. I suppose it comes with the territory. Around here, they really notice me. This place is very…interesting…to say the least. The Sohma household has a sick man, just a bit younger than my physical age. Once I touched him, it became clear that there was much more to it than just a simple case of porphyria. Something external is causing him to be ill—it's affecting all of them, for that matter. There is a haze of darkness around all of them and it all seems tied to Akito Sohma. He doesn't much like the idea of me staying here, but he's afraid to let me leave. It's like he's challenging me to stick it out. As always, I will. Then, there's the doctor, Hatori. Hatori tried to erase my memories earlier and he was very, very subtle about it, acting as though he merely wanted to get a better look at my face. Imagine his surprise when it didn't work! I felt sorry for him. I'm pretty sure Akito put him up to it, but he'll have to do better than that. As for the bigger forces at work here, I know my Father is around even if the others don't notice him or acknowledge him. There is also something else…the Sohma curse isn't just a story. I have seen them transform before and I know there is something dark taking up residence here._

She wasn't sure which one of these things woke her up first: the raging storm outside or the sudden power outage. Melody awoke with a jerk when an enormous clap of thunder rattled the house. After the blinding blue-white flash of lightning flooded the room, the lights flickered and went out. It would have been extraordinarily dark had her laptop screen not been glowing. She flattened herself against the wall that she'd been sitting against and wiped a string of saliva from the corner of her mouth. Breathing hard and shallow from the adrenaline, she slowly lifted the laptop from her lap and stood. Poking her head in the hallway, she listened to the confused reactions of the adults and the frightened exclamations of the children. An ominous feeling crept over her: she did not like the dark. She never really had—it was silly for someone like her to be afraid of a thunderstorm, but the flesh armor she wore now had very different ideas of what to be afraid of. The adrenaline made her legs almost cramp and she felt cold all over. Forcing herself to take some deep breaths, she reminded herself over and over that it was only a storm. Not having any other light source, she picked up the laptop and carried it half-open under her arm, using the screen as a flashlight. It felt ridiculous to be seeking out company at a time like this, but she didn't want to be by herself in a strange place. She tried to remember Father's face, but she couldn't. It was unfortunate that a human brain was limited, but she understood it at least. Humming under her breath, she wandered through the dark halls. Sohma House seemed enormous in the dark.

"Hi! What a night we're having, huh?" she asked the nearest person, a woman slightly older than herself. The woman shrank away from her and ran off. She tried talking to a man next, but he didn't want anything to do with her, either. Puzzled, she stood in the middle of a big hallway, wishing she knew what was going on.

She saw something move in the shadows. Curious, she held the laptop higher, trying to get a better look. Whatever it was, it didn't like the light and shrank away. An angry, ominous feeling emitted from it.

_That's not good…_

She'd felt the negative energy when she'd stepped foot onto the grounds earlier, but it wasn't like this. This thing was a separate entity, something with its own consciousness. She felt her throat closing up and her pulse start to race as it retreated from her. She felt a strong wave of annoyance from it.

_You know, don't you?_ She thought to herself, _You know I don't belong here._

A little girl bumped into her leg. Melody suppressed a startled scream and turned the computer so that the light was shining on her face.

"Oh! Hello! What's your name?

"Kisa."

The little girl stared into Melody's dark green eyes with her amber-colored ones. Her hair was an unusual color, somewhere between tan and orange.

"Come back to bed, Kisa," a woman who must have been her mother said, "it's late."

The one called Kisa didn't seem willing to go, but she backed away, still examining Melody closely. Her mother gave an apologetic smile and guided Kisa back into the room. Melody was left standing there by herself.

_It's worse than I thought…they're all scared of me. They're scared of anybody that they consider an outsider,_ she thought reluctantly.

She felt someone or something watching her, but she couldn't pinpoint a direction.

Down the hallway, Akito woke up in a cold sweat. His heart was thundering, pounding against his narrow ribcage as if it were trying to escape. He was shaky, cold, and weak all over and his stomach was churning. The pain was back, radiating in waves. Hatori stood over him, flashlight in hand.

"I'm sorry," he sighed, "I can't do anything until we get the power back on—I have to go help the others with the generator."

Akito's teeth were clenched together. His eyes begged Hatori not to go, for he didn't like the dark any more than Melody did. Though he was paler than death, two fever-bright red patches glowed hotly on his cheeks, telling everyone of the fire that lurked under his skin. Fevers made him more emotional and he often had terrible nightmares and hallucinations from them. He didn't speak, however, and stayed curled up, his knees pulled up to his chest.

"I'll be back as soon as I can," he told Akito. For the time being, both of them had forgotten about Melody. Akito watched Hatori's pale yellow flashlight beam disappear around the corner and he was once again left alone in the dark. Hatori had not had time to track down another light for him. He felt It returning, lurking in the shadows. The darkness seemed thick and suffocating, as if it were trying to stop his breath all on its own. In his mind, it was like a thick blanket that someone was trying to strangle him with. All manner of evil things lurked in the dark and he was pleading with them to go away and leave him alone.

Then, there was a light. Akito let out a startled yell when he saw a ghostly white face illuminated by it—in his mind, it was some sort of specter.

"Akito? Are you all right?"

The voice cut through his growing hysteria.

"You're that girl from earlier…" he realized, now that she was close enough to see.

"Yeah. The power's out through the whole place. I was looking for Dr. Sohma and I got a little lost on the way down here. If I didn't have this computer, I wouldn't be able to see two inches."

She set the computer on the bedside table. He squeezed his eyes shut; after laying in the dark for several minutes, it seemed blinding. She turned it so that it wasn't hitting his face so much.

"Who were you yelling at, anyway?"

Another tremor shook him so hard that he felt like his bones were going to rattle apart. He didn't answer, as the nausea was growing worse. It didn't help that his sense of motion was affected; he felt as if the whole world were rocking beneath his bed. She saw his body jerk and snatched up a nearby trash can. What little he'd eaten at dinner time came back up as well as several ounces of liquid. Even when there was nothing left, his whole body convulsed with dry heaves. He heard her taking the trash can away. A few moments later, he felt something cold on the back of his neck.

"Try to focus on the cold," she told him, "that always worked for the others."

Breathing raggedly, he did as she said. Another cold cloth stroked his burning face until his angry stomach settled down. The only downside was that he shivered even more. Her cold hands stroking his forehead felt so good, but they were like torture for now.

"I can see them, too, you know," she whispered to him. His eyes snapped open. He was currently laying on his side and didn't have the strength to turn his head and look at her, but just that one thought alone somehow comforted him. Every Sohma that was born in the Year of the god had been rumored to have a mental illness of some kind, that it wasn't all strictly physical. He felt her gently loosening the covers around him and resisted, trying to draw them back up.

"Akito, you're boiling. I can't help you if you don't let go," she told him sternly.

"Leave me alone…" his voice was dry and scratchy.

"Just give me a second, okay? I have to be touching the place that's giving you problems, or at least be as close as I can get. You'll feel a lot better, like you did earlier."

Another clap of thunder made them jump. This time, Akito was sure he saw some sort of face peering at him out of the shadows behind Melody.

_It's not real, it's not real, it's not real!_

Bracing himself for the exaggerated feeling of cold air against his chest and stomach, Akito flung the covers back.

"Hurry!" he demanded as the tremors worsened. Melody placed one hand on his head and the other on his stomach. As with last time, the split second before the pain lifted was the worst agony he'd ever felt. Then, it vanished once again. The room stopped rocking. The mocking, hideous, distorted faces in the shadows disappeared. He closed his eyes and let everything relax, feeling the strange toxic feelings vanishing. His heart was still beating rapidly when she released him.

"There…" she said shakily, "better?"

He closed the front of his robe back up. The computer light hadn't been flattering to begin with, but now it was even less so. There were deep rings under her eyes, making her seem older than her years. Her clothes seemed to fit more loosely, especially around her belly.

"I need water," he said, voice colored with disgust. The sooner he got the bitter taste out of his mouth, the better. She moved like an old woman, but eventually returned with a small cup of it. She waited patiently while he swished it around his mouth, then took a couple of experimental sips. The worst, it seemed, had passed.

"Thank you," he said finally. She sat down in the chair beside the bed.

"I don't like nights like this," she confessed, "it's easy to forget that Father is watching over us all when every shadow has a secret."

Akito raised up on one elbow.

"What did you mean before when you said you could see 'them'?" he asked cautiously.

"I can see _them,_" she answered, "the ones that give you nightmares and make you scared and sad and angry all the time. They hold all of you hostage, make you think you can't get away from this. They've even tricked you into thinking you'll die soon."

"I _am_ going to die," he said irritably.

"Not until Father takes you up to Heaven," she answered.

Akito's thought slammed to a halt. It was official…this girl was even more messed up than he was. Having argued with others on the point of an invisible old man in the sky, he decided to leave that one alone. The pain and the nausea were gone, but the exhaustion lingered. He decided to change the subject—even irritating company was company on a night like this.

"So how did you do it? How did you heal me?" he asked, amazed at how much clearer his voice sounded.

"I can't really say," she admitted, "it works by me pulling all the bad stuff out of your body and letting it flow into mine. Then I can destroy it for good. But it doesn't always last…in your case, it has to be done every few hours on a bad day. I never know when's a bad day because they're not really predictable."

"Yes, they are," he said glumly, "almost every day anymore is a bad day."

"If you look at them that way, I'm not surprised," she said, "I'm sure plenty of good things happen, too."

Akito laughed bitterly.

"Yes, like hearing half of my relatives say they can't wait until I'm dead so they can spit on my grave. Like having Shigure call up here every other day because that stupid Yuki and stupid Kyo destroyed the house because I was dumb enough to let them live on their own. The other half of my relatives want nothing to do with me, probably because they're good and afraid. Life is just a bowl of cherries."

Much to his annoyance, she had the nerve to actually look sad. Hoping she wouldn't pull a Tohru and start crying, he continued, "Look, it's not that damn sad. Don't look at me like that. I don't want your pity or anyone else's."

Hatori paused inside the door. He felt immensely guilty for eavesdropping, but he'd turned off his flashlight and just listened. He never thought he'd hear Akito having a conversation with someone without it turning into a shouting match or something getting broken.

"I suppose it would be hard if I always felt like that," she admitted, "but you're not as alone as you think."

"How would you know? You've been here, what, six hours?"

"I've been around longer than that—you just couldn't see me."

He stared, dark sapphire eyes filling with fire.

"What?!"

"Remember the dove?" Melody asked.

"What about it?"

She took a deep breath.

"Well…"

POOF!

Akito blinked. Perched in the seat of the chair where she was sitting was a small, white, very familiar-looking dove.

POOF!

She was human again. Unlike those who had the Zodiac curse, Melody stayed fully clothed when she changed and could do it at will.

Akito was furious.

"That…was you? How dare you?! There were times I wasn't dressed!"

Melody's face flushed furiously.

"Two things: I was an animal, so I didn't care. And I promise you I never looked. I know how humans are about the naked thing."

"Why do you keep talking like you aren't human?"

There came that sad smile again.

"Well…"

"Well, what?! What the Hell are you?"

They were interrupted when the lights blazed back on. Hatori finally decided to stop hiding and joined them.

"I see you found your way back," Hatori observed, "is everything all right here?"

"She did it again," Akito told him. They both glanced over at Melody. Her complexion was grayish-tinged.

"Are you all right, Melody?"

"Yeah. I just don't like the dark much."

Her voice was somewhat downcast, but they both assumed it was because she was tired.

"Well…I'll give you the medicine just in case," Hatori told Akito, "and you, Melody, should go and try to get some rest. I think we've all had enough excitement for one day. If you don't mind, I'd like to run a few tests on you tomorrow. I'm curious about some things."

"Okay."

She rose, her movements showing a concentrated effort.

"Good night Akito, Dr. Sohma."

They both stared after her. Akito was still thinking about some of the things she'd said earlier and didn't seem to notice her lack of formality or usage of titles when addressing them.

"She's weird," Akito couldn't help but say as Hatori injected the medicine into the IV tube.

"I think she's a good weird," Hatori said. He didn't say what he was thinking, but they both knew: _like Kana._


	3. Chapter 3

There was no sign of the storm the next morning. The green grass glittered with prism-like droplets that shone scattered rainbow lights when the sunlight hit it. It was really a shame that the cherry blossoms had taken such a beating; they were mostly on the ground now. Birdsong filled the air and the wind had a fresh, clean scent. The air was still chilly to the touch, though the sun would warm one's skin if they sat still long enough. A tree had blown over in one section of the house and the roof would have to be repaired, but no one was hurt, which was good. Akito told the staff where to move the inhabitants while sipping some hot, fragrant tea. The smell of brewing coffee filled the hospital area, overtaking the smell of antiseptics and bleach for the time being. Akito made a face.

"How can you drink that stuff?" he asked Hatori. It would always be a mystery as to how something that smelled so good tasted so awful to him.

"Some days it's a necessity," he admitted, stirring a lavish amount of sugar into the small cup. He glanced at the object in Akito's lap.

"Isn't that Melody's computer?"

"Yes. She left it here."

He could sense disapproval radiating from Hatori, though the doctor said nothing.

"Don't look at me that way. If she didn't want me using it, she'd keep a better eye on her things."

Hatori shrugged. He took readings from the monitors he'd put on Akito last night, took his temperature, and looked in his eyes and ears. He was just finishing up the mini-checkup when the door slowly opened. Melody appeared, still looking half-asleep.

"Good morning, Melody!" Hatori greeted her.

"Hey. Anybody see my laptop? I think it ran away last night—oh…"

She realized it was in Akito's lap. The realization and the squirm of discomfort gave him a mean sort of pleasure.

"I wouldn't leave this laying around," Akito said warningly, "you're off to a pretty bad start."

"What do you mean?" she asked, genuinely puzzled.

"You really do live in your own little world, don't you? What if you'd left this in a public place? And do I really need to tell you what a bad idea it is to be writing about all of us?"

His voice had begun to rise in anger. She winced.

"I've spent my entire short, pathetic, sick illusion of a life trying to keep all this stuff a secret," he snapped, "and in one day—one stupid mistake like that could undo everything!"

He'd grabbed her by the front of the shirt. Their faces were a mere two inches apart. Hatori, he could see, was in the background trying to figure out whether or not he should interfere. Akito shot him a warning look.

"No password protection, no encryption of any kind, nothing! I don't know how you found out so much about us in the first place, but it's got to be strange enough that you don't need to write it down to remember it!"

He thrust the computer back into her arms with more force than necessary and heard the pained grunt as the air was knocked out of her lungs.

"I erased that file," he warned, "but I won't be nice about it next time."

Melody stared at him, her eyes huge.

"It was with you the entire time…how was that putting you in danger? Besides, I only forgot it because I was _tired_ because I _helped you._ I think I deserve a break for that."

"You'll get a break, all right! Arm, leg, ribs, all of the above."

People were starting to mass outside the door, pushing and shoving to try and hear what was going on. They were always glad when Akito got a new punching bag because it meant they would all be spared for a while.

"I acknowledge that I've made a mistake," Melody said calmly, "but that is no reason to threaten me."

The calmer she stayed, the more irritated Akito became.

"All right," Hatori said, stepping between them, "Akito, you've made your point, and it's a very good one. You've just gotten better, however, and I'd really rather you not waste your strength. As for you, Melody, why don't we get started on those tests?"

She gave him a grateful look. Akito's gaze was burning a hole in the back of Hatori's neck, but he didn't say anything else.

"I'll just take Akito's IV out first," he said, "and I'll meet you in the other room."

She left, glad to be out of the furious Sohma head's volatile presence. She'd seen that temper before, but having it directed at her was another experience altogether.

"You shouldn't interfere," Akito warned the young doctor, "it's going to get you into more trouble than she's worth."

He cringed as Hatori took the needle out.

"She did something for you that I haven't yet been able to," Hatori warned him, "she quite possibly saved your life last night—twice. I have no way of knowing how high your temperature was, whether this was a routine attack or if you'd developed an infection of some kind. The power was out—I couldn't run any tests on you. I'd think twice about being cruel to her."

"She should think twice about who she intrudes on and gets involved with," Akito responded, annoyed.

He watched Hatori go into the back room where the girl was waiting and ground his teeth together. What was with everyone suddenly wanting to protect these girls? They were outsiders! He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to ward off the headache that threatened to come. It was still midmorning—he didn't want the day wrecked by a stress headache. After last night's fever episode, he decided a bath and a change of clothes was in order. It was still too cold to do any bathing outside, so he settled for the one indoors. There was probably more privacy in here anyway. While the tub was filling, he stripped off the robes from yesterday and tossed them in the basket. He chose a sky blue one today for the outer one and a plain white one for the inner one. Laying those aside, he sank neck-deep into the water. Just as he was getting in, he caught sight of his own emaciated frame. He was quite tall, but so slender—there hardly seemed to be any flesh at all stretched over the bone. Akito didn't often pay much attention to his appearance, but once in a while, he'd notice. His worst fear was of appearing weak, of dropping his role as the god of the household. This skeletal frame of his certainly did make him look weak…he sighed, running a hand through his unkempt black hair. It was sticking out wildly in all directions, making him look like an anime character from some show he used to watch as a kid. Once in the tub, he scrubbed with much more force and vigor than usual; perhaps his eagerness came from a desire to intimidate that girl. Perhaps it was to show them all that they could not be rid of him so easily and that he still had everything under his control. Feeling better after his lengthy soak, he was surprised to find that his appetite had returned with a vengeance. One of the maids had left behind a breakfast tray for him while he'd been in the tub. He had to force himself not to inhale it all at once. As usual, it was mostly plain, unseasoned food just to be on the safe side. Afterward, he had gone to sit in the sunshine, grateful that the incessant rain was gone.

He was watching a yellow butterfly flit around in the grass when Hatori appeared, knocking to announce his presence before entering. He was the only one who could come and go as much as he wanted.

"I found some rather interesting things out about Melody," he said.

Akito's navy eyes continued to track the butterfly.

"What's interesting? That she actually has a brain?" he asked.

Hatori sighed.

"Look."

He held a copy of an X-ray up to the sun. Akito peered closely at the sketchy-looking image just to humor him; he hated being reminded of hospitals or anything to do with them. The hospital wing of this place had been built shortly after he'd been born just so that he didn't have to leave home to be treated. The others, of course, had benefited as well.

"What are these things?" he asked, pointing. Aside from the spinal column and ribs that were typical on a human X-ray, there were some extra bones coming out of the spine.

"That's where the interesting part comes in," Hatori told him, "if I didn't know any better, I'd say they were wings."

"Wings? She does have a dove form," Akito said dismissively.

"And so does Kureno," Hatori said, "but he doesn't retain the wing-bones when he's human—it's only in his sparrow form. These bones don't look like vestigial bird bones—they look like they were tailored for her body."

"So she has 'wings'," Akito scoffed, "big deal."

"There's more," Hatori said, "she craves sweets and caffeine—namely coffee—constantly. She came here with a little extra weight and probably weighed more yesterday than she does now. It appears that she metabolizes fatty tissue very rapidly when she heals someone. A rough estimate of her weight yesterday would have been around two hundred pounds or so—she only weighs one-ninety-two today. She has a blood type that I can't even name—it doesn't match A, B, O, or AB. And that bluish tint in her hair is natural, just as Hatsuharu's hair is black and white and Kyo's is orange."

"We have a household full of freaks," Akito muttered, "one more's not likely to make a difference unless she's stupid enough to leave her computer out again."

He looked up at Hatori, handing him the X-ray back.

"Oh, no…you don't really believe that stuff about her not being human, do you?"

Hatori shifted uncomfortably.

"Akito, sometimes there are things that just can't be explained. There's a good possibility that she's one of them."

Akito shook his head, smirking.

"So, what do you want me to think she is? Some kind of alien? Or the way she talks about this 'Father' of hers, an angel?"

An uncomfortable silence fell where even the birds didn't fill it by singing.

"All I'm saying is that we should consider the possibility that there may be more…differences…" Hatori said, "…than we've accounted for in the human race. The Sohmas may not be alone."

With that to think about, he left Akito there, staring after him with a mixture of amusement and disbelief.

Melody smiled softly as she watched the children playing in the garden. Carrying her pouch of trusty Sharpie pens and a brand new sketchbook, she began to scope out a spot for drawing. She was glad that breakfast was over—it had been very silent and uncomfortable. Trying to get the others to talk to her had been a chore. She couldn't understand what it was about these people—normally, she got along with others easily. She still sensed a lot of darkness hovering around this place and wondered if it was that. Settling against the trunk of a tree, she took a deep drink out of the coffee cup she carried. It was loaded with enough sugar to make any normal person diabetic. She set the cup aside and began to sketch. At first, it was just neutral things like flowers and birds. The longer she sat there, the more dynamic things became. She sketched children, running and laughing among the flowers. They were all faceless, always having their heads turned and their features obscured. She was more interested in capturing their movements than their faces. Vibrant silhouettes of colors outlined them, something that her unusual way of seeing the world granted her. In the human world, her condition was known as "synesthesia"—a literal crossing of the senses. People's personalities had colors and she could pick up on them within a few minutes of talking to them and learning their mannerisms. Hatori's, for instance, was drawn in closer to his body. It was a blending of red and orange, mixing two different personality types into one. He was a passionate man, having once loved Kana so much. He was also very cautious and protective. That was where the orange came from. As for Akito, he appeared to her as a dark purple. He did not like people getting close and there was a lot of darkness in his spirit, which was why his "aura" as she called it, lacked a glow. The children were an amazing array of colors, all with brighter glows than the adults. It was probably because they had not yet learned the cruelties that this world could bring.

A shadow crossed the page of her book and she glanced up. In the shade, she could scarcely see any blue in Akito's eyes. They looked black from this angle, which made him seem more sinister. He examined the sketch on the page wordlessly, glancing back and forth to compare what she'd drawn to what was.

"What's with all the outlines?" he asked, thinking it made the children look like they were aliens or something.

"Well, I always associate people with colors," she said, "I can usually tell what they're going to look like within a few minutes of meeting them."

Kisa, he noticed, was outlined with a vibrant orange. Momiji was outlined with a sunny yellow, but a silvery color around the outside. Hiro was a bright red. Another child was pink and yet another one was green and yet another was blue. He noticed that the rest of the colors were somewhat muted, probably to make these "auras" easier to see. He didn't really understand her system, but he chose not to ask. She added a few more strokes and the picture was done—at least to her. She stood and brushed the grass off of her jeans. The children, by now, had noticed Akito's presence, and were starting to try and slip off to another part of the garden. It didn't escape his notice and he smirked.

_That's right, you little brats, run!_

"You know, I'd love to draw you sometime," Melody commented, "you have such fair skin and dark hair…and that deep blue in your eyes; Father really did make you beautiful. I wish I could have been there to see his inspiration."

As she was talking, her fingers had slid just under his chin. He swatted her hand away. She continued what she was saying as if she didn't really notice it. One of the many koi ponds captured her attention and she suddenly seemed as if she were miles away. As she drifted towards it, the mean satisfaction he felt dissolved, replaced by puzzlement. Akito watched her go, an odd feeling making his stomach squirm. Had she really just called him _beautiful?_

One of the downsides of having the "god curse" was that Akito remembered everything from his birth, even some things that had taken place before. While his father had been excited and loved him, it was his mother that had been his greatest tribulation. She had told him from the very beginning how much she couldn't stand him and how he had been a mistake. She did not tell him how handsome he was becoming or anything that normal mothers said. The Sohma girls did not want anything to do with him because they were all afraid of him. As far as what he thought of himself, well…at five feet, four inches, he was a little on the short side. His growth had been stunted by the sickness. His frame was always very skeletal, which was why he kept it covered up with the voluminous robes and long sleeves and layers—he didn't want anyone to think he was weak and he knew he was too thin. He only weighed about ninety-five pounds, maybe less. Feeling oddly naked, he wandered back inside. The only thing that was really showing was a sliver of chest and it was because his narrow frame wasn't quite wide enough to hold the robes up. He'd have to get Ayame to take these things in—again—as soon as possible.

_I need to find out what she's up to,_ he thought irritably, _I need to figure out what her game is and get her out of here before she becomes a problem. That Tohru Honda is bad enough._

He turned back around to look. The children were all crowding Melody to look at her book and she was laughing and enjoying their company. A sinking feeling tugged at his belly.

_You lost another popularity contest…it's just as I told you, isn't it?_

The dark, velvety voice of his mother, Ren, was always what he heard when those negative feelings came up. Though the woman had been sent away a couple of years back (and Akito himself had been the one to throw her out), he still heard her voice in his head. Nothing he did was ever good enough. Though he'd been too sick to attend school regularly, he still studied hard when he was younger and graduated early. That hadn't been good enough and neither was the fact that he'd been at the top of his class. A particularly sensitive sore spot, one that always seemed to be weeping emotional pus inside and never healing, was how open she was about hating him. Akito himself was not yet aware of it, but he kept a tight hold on all his other family members because he'd honestly come to believe they didn't want him around either. It was easier to force them to accept him the way he was than risk getting hurt.

What he also didn't realize was that it was _still_ hurting him.

"Shut up," he snapped at the voice.

_That's it, isn't it? Your three cousins, the cat, the rat, and the dog…the three you like the least…they were all lured away from you for a pretty little girl. And now, there's another pretty little girl and you're going to lose everyone else to her as well. Hatori already likes her. The children like her. They'll all want to go with her and you'll end up all alone._

He clamped his hands over his ears, but it was a futile gesture. At times like this, he could swear he saw Ren out of the corner of his eye, could feel her dark, intimidating presence. Akito trembled.

"Are you all right?" One of the maids asked.

"Leave me alone," he growled. She walked away very quickly. Akito's expression darkened as he watched Melody before storming off. He needed to get away from her where there were no reminders.

Hatori had stepped outside for some fresh air when he noticed Melody. It was almost lunchtime, so most of the children had gone inside to wash up. She was kneeling over one of the koi ponds, the tips of her fingers in the water. The koi were fighting each other over a scrap of bread. There were several hundreds of other little fish there as well, about the length of her pinky finger and about the same width as well. They came in swirling, writhing masses, nibbling anything that fell in the water out of curiosity. Melody was giggling as if she'd never seen anything funnier in her life.

"I see you've found the ponds," he remarked, unable to prevent the smile. Kana had also loved coming out here to feed the fish.

"They act like they'll never see food again!" she giggled.

"They shouldn't be worried. The children come and drop things into the water when they think we aren't looking," Hatori said.

She raised up to look at him.

"So…I saw Akito talking to you earlier," Hatori finally said, getting to the point, "what did he want?"

"He just wanted to see my drawings," Melody answered, "and then I told him I wanted to draw him and he got this weird look on his face. But he didn't seem to want to talk about it so I came over here. He went back inside."

"There are some things I should warn you about," Hatori said, kneeling next to her, "I never got a chance to tell you yesterday. I love Akito like my own son, but in loving him that much, I can see his flaws far too clearly for my own liking and I don't want you to get hurt."

"He weighs less than half that I do," Melody half-teased, "I can take him if necessary."

"That's not what I mean," Hatori sighed, though he smiled a little at her terrible joke, "he has a terrible temper and often acts without thinking in regard to himself or others. He can be both physically and mentally abusive at times, especially to younger, innocent minds like yourself. If you really want to stay here, you should know what you're getting into."

"What's the worst that could happen?"

Hatori pushed aside his bangs.

"Well, this was one of those things."

There was something she noticed. The pupil wasn't reactive to light. In fact, it was a little bit milked over. Scar tissue crossed the lid in jagged lines. They had faded over time, of course.

Melody stared hard at the injury. It was hard for Hatori to just sit there, but he did. He let her look, unaccustomed to showing people his scars as he was. She placed her hand over the side of his face and he closed his eyes. The hand gently covered the blind eye and he felt something happen. Her palm seemed to grow warmer. Though there was no visible light, he saw it in his mind's eye, radiating out from her. He heard music in his ears and saw flashes of color going by. The weariness in his body from staying up so late last night seemed to lift, leaving his limbs light and energetic.

After a moment, she released her hold on him.

"Can you see?"

He blinked, then closed his good eye. Some of the vision was restored—he could make out some light and shadows, but it remained foggy.

"A little," he said honestly.

Melody frowned.

"How long ago did this happen?"

"Almost a year," he answered.

"That must be why. I can only heal new injuries or illnesses. In Akito's case, his is chronic. I can't seem to cure him because of that and because the illness is as much spiritual in nature as physical."

She sighed.

"I knew a man that could bring people all the way back from the dead," she said, looking down at her small hands, "his best friend…he passed away due to some kind of illness. The body had been buried. Everyone was upset when he came and they even asked him why he didn't come sooner. He cried with them to show that he understood, that their suffering didn't go unnoticed. He cried because he loved them and nobody ever wants to see someone they love suffer. Then, he went out there, dug him up, and breathed his breath into him. And then his best friend stood up and was well again."

"There are others like you?"

"A bunch of us. Most people wouldn't be able to tell, though. A lot of them never notice us when they pass us. It's only when something big like this happens that they choose to see it. Even then, sometimes it's never enough."

She smoothed his bangs back down.

"So, Akito is an occupational hazard. Is there anything else I should know about?"

She followed him back into the office. Spreading the files out on the table, he told her each one of their unique conditions. Kyo tended to get sick when it rained. Yuki had asthma. Isuzu frequently came in for treatment of ulcers, and Ayame tended to not do well with cold weather.

"From time to time, you might see Ritsu as well," Hatori said, "though he doesn't really like coming here. The others give him a hard time because…well…"

He tried to figure out a way to put it delicately.

"He likes dressing like a woman."

He waited for the burst of laughter that usually came from anyone who found out about it, but Melody didn't laugh.

"His file says he suffers from anxiety," she said thoughtfully, "is that why?"

"I suppose so. It's not really clear to me which came first: the dressing like a woman or the anxiety attacks, but there seems to be a vicious cycle going on. Akito was quite hard on him as well as Yuki."

Melody scanned the rest of the files.

"Goodness…I thought it was going to be mostly Akito that needed my help," she admitted, "you've really got your hands full, don't you?"

"And that doesn't even include the ones who don't have the curse," he said.

"Well, I'll do the best I can," she told him, "where should I start?"

There were numerous small chores to be done. In order for Hatori to focus on all the "doctoring stuff", she took on all the more mundane things like cleaning, organizing, and filling out charts and paperwork. Sometimes someone would come in with something minor that she was able to fix without any difficulty. The drawback was that her ability to heal seemed to have its limitations: she could help stave off symptoms of an infectious illness, but the person's body actually had to do the work. Inflammation wasn't a problem, but their immune system would have to take over. The longer something had been going on, the harder it was for her to fix it. She couldn't do anything about old injuries other than stop them from hurting for a while. And if the illness was mental, the person would still have to work through whatever was causing it. Things like brain chemistry were easily corrected, but often there were behavioral issues that had be fixed as well and she wasn't really a counselor. By midday, she was starting to get a little tired. She'd managed to help one of the pregnant women with her morning sickness (Hatori had given the woman something to keep it from returning while Melody helped with the initial symptoms), a girl with a sprained ankle, and an older man who'd been suffering from arthritic pains. Each time she healed someone, it took a little more out of her. She drank several cups of coffee in quick succession and ate about twice as much as everyone else at lunchtime. Then, she started to feel better. Hatori noticed her paleness and asked, "Are you up to staying or do you need to stop for now?"

Melody shook her head.

"I'm just getting warmed up," she said. She had to bite her lip to keep from saying she'd only been wearing flesh for the last twenty-four hours and it took some getting used to. He wouldn't understand, at least not yet.

"All right," he said reluctantly. Ordinarily, office work wasn't that challenging, but he'd seen first-hand what the healing did to her. She finished her lunch and cleared all the dishes away before getting going again. While the computers here weren't connected to any outside networks (Akito wouldn't allow it, for fear someone would be able to get into the records), they ran on their own network. Melody put in all the new notes on each person's digital files. She smiled as she did that; she never tired of the _peck-peck-peckity-peck_ that the keys made. She could type faster than a lot of the others that had worked here.

Hatori went back to filling out orders for prescriptions. He had to do that himself and make sure they were all signed—there were over a hundred people living in this one small area and about half of them had chronic illnesses. He also wanted to make sure he had some reserve supplies on hand so that no one ever ran out. The silence was companionable, at least. Neither one felt the need to keep a steady conversation going for now.

_Poor Ritsu,_ Melody thought as she typed in all the notes for his file, _he seems to have had a very tough life._

Letter by letter, she began to piece together a snapshot of the Sohmas. They were a very secretive bunch and Akito had almost made them paranoid. She noticed a few things that seemed to be related to their transformations. Many of them had chronic illnesses due to stress. She skimmed the older records that had been scanned in to save time and noticed that the spike in illnesses had come shortly before Akito's birth.

"Hatori," she said, turning around in her chair, "did anything unusual happen before Akito was born?"

Surprised that she'd caught on that quick, he slowly turned to face her.

"Yes, actually. Akito's mother wasn't what you'd call a happy person," he said, "when she became pregnant with Akito, she was furious. The distress the pregnancy caused her was often taken out on the others—especially the elders."

Melody's expression was one of sympathy.

"That must have been hard."

"It was. I was only a child then, but I knew something was wrong. I could feel it."

They heard someone come in, so the conversation died instantly. It was someone that Melody didn't yet recognize, but she could tell this wasn't one of the "cursed ones". In a way, though, she mused, they were all cursed for now. It wasn't a very comforting thought and it hung over her head like a dark cloud. That day's chores passed by in a blur as she turned it over in her mind…this was so much bigger than she thought it would be.

_Where do I begin, Father?_


	4. Chapter 4

_One Week Later…_

Hatori felt like this would never end. It was almost unheard of, the flu going around this time of year. Many of the people that came in were suffering from dehydration and high fever. The hospital wing was packed and he'd gone back and forth, visiting people at home and trying to take care of the ones that were there. He'd had very little sleep in the last few days and it was starting to show. Melody was right there with him, of course. She kept him supplied with coffee and went back and forth fetching things for him so that he didn't have to make so many trips. They slept in shifts so that one of them was always awake when something came up. Akito mostly stayed in his room so that his exposure to the virus would be as low as possible. She'd hardly seen him at all, but the others needed her help more.

"Feel up to taking a little trip?" Hatori asked her. Feeling a little green herself, she nodded. She'd been kneeling in the floor scrubbing a vomit stain off the tile. The smell was about ten times more intense to her than everyone else and she could barely hold her head up. She eagerly scrubbed her hands and put away the cleaning supplies.

"We're going to Shigure's to see Yuki," he explained as they gathered supplies, "everyone over there came down with it and Yuki seems to have it the worst. I do wish I could introduce you under better circumstances."

"It's all right," she said, "I'm used to seeing people at their worst and he sounds like a very nice guy."

She settled into the passenger seat of the car, content to be out of the crowded hospital wing for just a moment. It was going to be summer soon and all the flowers were in full bloom. If she had a minute, just one tiny minute, she would slip out and gather some up to decorate with. The people who were stuck in bed would probably appreciate a different view other than just boring old tiles. Hatori would probably like having something different to look at in the office as well. They rode with the windows down, as it was not yet hot, and Melody enjoyed the fresh air. She leaned her head out the window like a dog and let it blow her hair back. By the time they reached Shigure's place, it was sticking out in all directions. Hatori couldn't hold back the chuckle. She grinned as she smoothed it out.

"My hair only comes in one style anyway," she laughed, "and that's messy."

Shigure answered the door with a little bit of difficulty. His cheeks were burning with fever and he swayed a little. Had it not been for the support of the door, he'd have probably fallen over.

"Nice to see you again, Hatori."

THUD!

Melody gasped and hurried over to him.

"Oh my goodness! Are you all right?!"

Shigure blinked.

"You must be Melody…but who's the other one?"

Melody tried to haul him to his feet, but it didn't work. A split second after she thought she was gaining some ground, POOF!

"Huh?" she asked, puzzled. Then, she looked down. A black dog was in her arms. He wagged goodnaturedly at her and her eyes went wide.

"Oops…" she lamented, "I'm sorry…"

_I'm not…_

"Well, I can put you back to bed easier this way at least," she said, hoisting him up, "which way is your room?"

He raised a paw and pointed. As she carried him upstairs, Shigure could see Hatori giving him a warning look over Melody's shoulder. He returned it with a wink.

Melody placed him on the bed and pulled the covers up to his chin.

"I've heard a lot about you all," she said, "I've been wanting to meet you, but I've been very busy and haven't really gotten a chance to come down here."

_I'm guessing Akito keeps you on a short leash…pardon the pun, please._

"Actually, it's not him. I've hardly seen him in the last week. A couple of days after I accepted the position, the whole family got this terrible flu. It's all we can do to take care of all of them. No one's been spared—the maids, the kitchen staff, the groundskeepers, or the Sohmas themselves."

POOF!

Shigure changed back to his human form. Thankfully, she'd thought to cover him up, so all she could see was his chest and shoulders.

"I don't get sick very often, but when I do, it's usually crippling," he commented, "my editor is probably going to lose her mind."

Melody smoothed a cold cloth over his head.

"I'm sure she'll understand that you're sick," she said sympathetically, "it's hard to write when you can't even sit up. Stay right there—I'll go get the medicine."

She rushed down the stairs. On the way, she crashed into Hatori. Not thinking, she wrapped both arms around him to try and steady her footing, but it didn't work.

POOF!

"Oh, crud…"

She'd landed face-down at the bottom of the stairs. A few inches from her nose was something wriggling beneath Hatori's coat. She lifted the collar to reveal a tan-colored seahorse who was looking rather annoyed.

"I'm sorry, Hatori…of all the times for me to be a klutz…"

_It's all right…_

"Do I need to put you in water or something? I can't remember if it's supposed to be fresh water or salt water…"

_Really, I'll be all right. Just take me to one of the empty rooms so I can change back and go get the syringes. I assume you've given injections before?_

"No, I haven't," she said honestly, "but you could walk me through it."

_Hopefully I will have changed back by the time you get them._

She carried him upstairs, his clothes bundled under one arm. Her grip was tighter than she meant for it to be and he started to squirm.

"Sorry!"

Her palms were sweating. Hatori actually felt sorry for her. She reminded him a lot of Tohru and Kana. Placing him on the bed next to his clothes, she said, "They're in the back seat, right?"

_Right._

She closed the door behind her and hoped he was back to normal. While the idea of giving a shot didn't gross her out or scare her, the thought of hurting someone while doing it did. She hurried down the stairs and, unfortunately, tanked it a second time.

"Darn it!" she muttered, slowly hauling herself off the floor.

"Run into some trouble?"

Melody froze in surprise.

"Akito? What are_ you_ doing here?"

The dark-haired man paused, the toe of his shoe a mere six inches from her face.

"Am I not entitled to see my family when I want to?" he asked in that dark voice of his.

"Well, yes, but what if you catch their flu? We've been busting our bottoms trying to make sure you don't get it on top of the porphyria," Melody said, finally getting to her feet, "you'll probably get it just by being in this house."

"That's what I've got you for."

His smile was chilling.

"Where's Hatori?" he asked.

"Upstairs. I kind of…hugged him on accident."

The look on her face made Akito chuckle. She was so freaked out…he watched as she rushed past him and hurried out to the car. Then, he headed up the stairs. They all felt his dark presence before they saw him. Yuki was already wheezing and coughing, struggling to breathe. He felt the adrenaline flood his system, leaving his hands and feet as cold as ice. The door opened with an ominous creak and Akito appeared.

"What…" Yuki struggled to get the words out, "…are you doing…here?"

"This house is still my property," Akito said coolly, "I think I'm entitled to drop in every now and then. Besides, what kind of relative would I be if I didn't visit you when you're sick?"

Melody's heart was thundering in her ears. Across the hall, Hatori writhed on the bed, wishing with all his might that he could control his transformation. The stress, however, was lengthening it. Yuki's wheezing was getting worse. His purple eyes squeezed shut as he struggled to breathe. He was completely defenseless and Akito knew it.

"Leave him alone!" a sharp voice snapped from the hallway. Kyo, face flushed with fever, had appeared in the doorway.

Akito turned to face him.

"It's rude to interrupt, don't you think?"

Kyo's fury battled with fear as Akito strode across the room and grabbed him by the shirt. He shoved him backwards and caused Kyo to lose his balance. He hit the wall with a thump.

Tohru willed herself to get out of bed, but she simply lacked the strength. She tried to call out to Akito, at least to distract him, but all that came out was a noisy cough.

Melody's thumping footsteps broke the tension.

"I'm back—oh! What are you doing out of bed?! None of you should be up right now!"

She seized Kyo before he could protest and the familiar POOF filled the air. The annoyed orange cat would have swiped at her with his claws, but she carried him back into his room and plopped him on the bed.

"Sorry! It's the only way I can carry you!" she said apologetically. Turning to Akito, she said, "do you think you could go downstairs for me and see if there's anything cold to drink?"

"What do I look like, a servant?" he asked irritably.

Melody sighed.

"Akito, please. I've really got my hands full here. Just go and look, all right?"

Gritting his teeth, he watched her enter Yuki's room.

"Oh, you poor man," she sighed, "you must be the one Hatori was so worried about. Easy there…just try to lay back and relax."

"Thanks…" he choked out, "…for getting…rid of him…"

Melody's cool hand soothed his burning cheek.

"This may feel a little strange," she told him, "but it will be enough to hopefully get you breathing better until I can give the shots."

He was just wondering where Hatori was when Melody started to heal him. The fear, the tension, and the pain melted. His gasping, wheezing, begging breaths turned smoother. Downstairs in the kitchen, Akito was startled when the lights began to flicker. At one point, they actually went out. He stayed standing in front of the open refrigerator, inspecting its contents. There wasn't anything to drink in here. In fact, there was hardly anything. How long had they been sick?

POOF!

Hatori finally changed back. Breathing a sigh of relief, he stayed sprawled out across the bed for one second longer than was necessary. Things couldn't get much worse, he mused. His irritable charge was downstairs and would probably return any second. Yuki's lungs wouldn't take the pressure. Neither Tohru or Kyo was up to helping and Melody had her hands full. It was time to get back in the game, so to speak. He paused in the doorway of Yuki's room. Melody released Yuki and sagged to the floor.

"Just…need a…."

He was sure she meant to say "second", but it never came out. Her eyes closed and she fell the rest of the way over. Yuki, startled, leaned over the side of the bed.

"She'll be all right in a second," Hatori told him, "I'll explain all of this later. I've got to make sure the attack doesn't return."

He gave Yuki the shot and a dose of medicine from the inhaler. It tasted disgusting, but it worked. Yuki felt his lungs relax the rest of the way and he finally stopped coughing. Next, he gave Kyo his shot.

"Is the damn rat okay?" he asked, though his voice betrayed his concern.

"He'll be fine."

"Who was that girl with Akito?"

"Her name is Melody. She's the one I've told Shigure about."

Everyone else got their shots. Hatori breathed a sigh of relief. With some difficulty, he hauled Melody into one of the spare rooms. She seemed to be unconscious. He paced the floor, trying to figure out what to do. She would probably need to eat something when she woke up. There wasn't much he could do for her right now. Shigure, Kyo, Tohru, and Yuki also would need food. He descended the stairs and found Akito sitting at the kitchen table. Holding a plain black cell phone to his ear, he was talking to someone back at the main house. His back was to Hatori, so he didn't see him standing there.

"I don't care how busy you are, just do it!" he snapped into the phone, "Good. And send a couple of the other maids over here. Tell them they're to stay working here until everyone is better. No, I don't care which ones. Now go."

He flipped the phone shut. Hatori suppressed a smile.

"Why is it so hard to get good help these days?" he muttered.

"Akito, did you just do what I think you did?" he asked.

"Not a word, Hatori. Not a single damn word."

Melody stirred awake. It was dark outside and she felt a rush of adrenaline. She was alone. Knowing how Akito had been acting earlier, she suppressed a groan and rubbed at her eyes. Coming here might not have been the best idea she'd ever had—but then how was she to know he'd follow her? For that matter, what if he'd still come? She'd be back at the main house and…oh, it didn't matter anymore. She rose, trying to shake the heaviness from her body, and went to face the music. She hoped Akito hadn't been too hard on anyone.

What she found was very different than what she'd expected. She came to Tohru's room first, finding it open and lit. Momiji and Kisa were sitting on the bed with Tohru as some cheerful little kid's movie played. Tohru was spooning up some soup and looking far more cheerful than she had earlier—Melody had only caught just a brief glimpse of her before all the chaos had broken loose.

"You must be Melody," Tohru said with a smile, "I was hoping you'd start to feel better soon!"

"How long was I out?" Melody asked, coming to sit in her desk chair.

"About two or three hours. I lost count…I heard what you did for Yuki and I wanted to thank you in person."

"No problem. Good to see you two again," Melody greeted Momiji and Kisa. Kisa hugged her tightly. Melody was going to try not to hug Momiji just because of the transformation, but he hugged her instead.

POOF!

Everyone burst into giggles. Unlike the others, Momiji didn't seem to mind his Zodiac form.

"Now I just need a bigger hat to pull you out of," Melody teased.

"Everything all right in here?" Hatori asked.

"Yeah. Sorry I wiped out," Melody apologized, "there was more to it than I thought…how's Yuki?"

"He's sleeping peacefully, as is Kyo. And Akito is downstairs. He'd like to have a word with you."

They all exchanged loaded glances.

_Do you want me to come with you?_ Momiji asked.

"Nah, it's all right," Melody said, "I don't want to interrupt your movie. Besides, I'm sure it's nothing."

Momiji's brown eyes met Kisa's hazel ones.

_She's brave._

Kisa nodded.

Melody took the stairs slowly going down. She still felt a little dizzy, but that would surely pass. Akito was waiting for her in the dark living room. Moonlight streamed in from one window. She wondered why he was sitting in the dark.

"You wanted to see me?" Melody asked.

He gestured to the chair across from him. She took it, wondering why she suddenly felt so apprehensive.

"You did a great deal of screaming after you passed out," he commented in that dark, quiet voice of his, "I want to know what happened."

Melody's guts froze.

"I was screaming?" she asked anxiously.

"Yes. The whole house heard you. You were shouting my name over and over."

She pressed her lips together.

"Oh…that must have been that nightmare I had. It was terrible."

"Go on," he urged.

"There was this dark room with bars over the windows," she shuddered, "I dreamed I was very small, like a little kid. There was another little kid standing over me and demanding to know why I didn't do what he said. Then, he started hurting me. I begged him to stop, but he wouldn't listen. Then, when he left, I snuck out and started running through the house trying to find a way out. Then I found you. That little kid was standing over you and you were bleeding. He killed you."

Akito heard his heart thundering in his ears. He kept his face a mask of calm though it was the last thing in the world he felt.

"What a strange dream," he muttered.

One of the maids came through the door. She saw Akito and bowed respectfully, though Melody could sense fear there as well. A scar traced her right cheek and she wondered if that had been Akito's doing as well.

"Dinner is ready," she said, "whenever you all are."

"I should probably take the others their food first," Melody said, "none of them really look strong enough to sit at the table."

"I think Shigure is," Hatori said, following her into the kitchen, "he's just milking it."

Akito watched them go, an odd feeling creeping up on him again. He saw how easily Melody and Hatori had become friends and it bothered him. Gritting his teeth, he wondered if this girl might actually be more of a problem than Tohru.

After everyone had their trays, Melody, Akito, and Hatori stayed downstairs to eat. Kisa and Momiji wanted to stay with Tohru and no one really tried to talk them out of it.

"I have to say," Melody said contentedly, "this is probably the best soup I've ever eaten. The food over here is amazing."

She helped herself to a second bowl.

"It's all right," Akito said quietly.

She glanced over at him.

"I'm a little surprised you stayed as long as you did," she admitted, "I thought you'd have gone home once everything was okay again."

He shrugged.

"I was bored. It's not like I had anything better to do."

"Did you stay because you were worried about them?" she asked.

Akito didn't answer, but his silence spoke volumes.

"I'm sure they appreciate it," she told him, "even if you don't know how to tell them."

Little did she know that Momiji was on the stairs listening in.

"They should," Akito said frostily, "we're short-handed at the house now because of them."

Melody was grinning.

"What are you smiling at? Everything amuses you, doesn't it?"

"It's better to be easily amused than never amused," Melody said, dumping more soup into his bowl after she finished filling her own, "a life without laughter is an empty one."

Shigure joined Momiji on the stairs. He put a finger to his lips in a "shhh" gesture.

"I make it a point to count my blessings at least once a day," she told Akito, "then you think about all the great things instead of the lousy things. Every single day, I find another thing to be thankful for. Father—"

"Always with your father," he interrupted irritably, "I'm getting tired of hearing about this invisible man in the sky."

He waited for the inevitable bristle that would come. Instead, Melody took a big drink of her coffee and turned to face him.

"Sometimes the truth can be right in front of you," she said, "all the good, wonderful things in this world and you won't see them. For instance, there's your heart. I can't see it. I can't hear it unless I'm listening for it. I can't feel it unless I'm trying to touch it. I can't smell it or taste it. When I first came to you, I had no way of knowing you had a heart because there simply wasn't proof."

Shigure and Momiji grinned.

"And your point is?" Akito asked frostily.

"My point is that your heart is invisible. I was able to hear it beat because I was trying to. I felt it pulsing under your skin because I went to the trouble to find it. There was proof, all right, just not instant, gratuitous proof. If you don't know what you're looking for in the first place, it's very easy to miss."

She stirred more sugar into her coffee.

"My point, Akito, is that you might have it in front of you and you will never see it unless you're willing to."

The rest of dinner passed in silence. Content that Akito wasn't going to kill anyone tonight, Shigure and Momiji went upstairs. Melody helped with the cleaning up even though Akito bitingly said that it was the maids' jobs.

"They'll have plenty of work to do after we're gone," Melody said, "it's only fair that we give them a hand."

He gave an impatient sigh, but didn't say anything else. Melody came upstairs and said goodbye to everyone and Hatori checked on them all once more before telling them to call him should something else come up. Akito stayed downstairs. Though he had his own car, he waited until Hatori and Melody were ready to go as well. Upstairs, Yuki and Kyo watched the taillights retreating.

"Well," Shigure said, joining them, "that was interesting."


	5. Chapter 5

Akito pulled the car in, exhausted though he didn't know why. For a moment, he sat behind the wheel of the car and leaned his head back. It was peaceful in here. He felt like a different person. It was rare that he drove himself, but he'd insisted on learning at least one normal skill when he was younger. The windows were tinted, so no one would be able to see him. He felt safe in here, but he'd have to come out eventually. Sighing, he turned off the engine and pocketed the keys. When he opened the door, he flinched. Melody was standing there.

"Don't sneak up on me," he scolded her.

"Sorry."

"What do you want, anyway?"

"Nothing. I just wanted to thank you for sending help for us today," Melody told him, "I was going to try and give them a hand with the chores while I was over there since they can't cook or clean for themselves right now."

"I would have said no," Akito answered bluntly, "you're needed here."

Melody's expression was smug.

"You still did it," she pointed out, "and you didn't have to stay with us for so long. It was very sweet of you."

He shifted uncomfortably. This was making him feel weird.

"Yeah, all right."

He locked the car and headed for the house. Much to his chagrin, she kept up with him.

"Is there a reason you're following me?" he demanded.

"Well, no. But I was hoping to—"

He stopped suddenly and turned to face her.

"Look," he said irritably, "this family seems to be attracting a lot of girls like you, so I may as well get this out of the way right now. I put up with Tohru and all her emotional speeches because I lacked the strength to drive her off, but it didn't work. I have no interest in getting to know her or being friends with her. The same goes for you. You work for Hatori, so you work for me. You're an employee here and that's it. Your time here will pass more easily if you stop trying to do all this emotional crap."

Melody's smile melted.

"I don't get it…did I do something to make you mad?"

"Not yet and I want it to stay that way."

Why was it, he wondered, that both Tohru and Melody's eyes both got bigger when they seemed to be hurting? She stared down at the ground, her hands stuffed in her pocket. He stepped closer to her.

"I'm saying this for your own good," he said quietly, "everyone close to me gets hurt."

Melody watched him go, seeing his shoulders slumping a little as he headed for the house.

"Akito?"

"WHAT?!"

"Good night."

An impatient sigh whooshed out of his lungs.

"Good night."

He disappeared into the house.

"Don't worry about that," Hatori said quietly from the shadows, "you aren't the first one he's been that way to."

Melody almost jumped out of her skin. She'd forgotten he was there.

"I think it's…commendable…that you want to be friends with Akito," he continued, "but it might be easier to let him come to you."

"All right…" she said, "…I guess we'd better go check on the others. Isuzu got it pretty bad."

He stripped off his outer clothes and took a very hot bath in case there were any germs still clinging there. While he might not be able to do anything about the flu germs being contagious by air, it made him feel better. Running a comb through his jaw-length dark hair, he paused to look in the mirror.

_Beautiful…she said I was beautiful, but I can't see it…_

_ Of course you can't see it. It's you, after all._

He took his time brushing his teeth and getting his robe on. After that, there was nothing to do but go to bed. Strangely, he felt far too awake. His own words were still echoing around in his head: _everyone close to me gets hurt._ It was followed by Tohru's words: _who decided it should be like that?_ Growling in frustration, he punched his pillow. These stupid girls…everything was fine until they came along. He hated girls. They always complicated things and they weren't even obvious villains. They had those great big eyes and long shiny hair and those laughs…ugh…

He began to weigh who was the bigger villain in his mind. Was it Tohru Honda or Melody…whatever her last name was? Tohru had made Shigure, Kyo, and Yuki very defensive and protective of her. They no longer came to the main house on their own because of her. But this one….she was a bigger liability. She could heal and she was living right here down the hall from him. Hatori was the only one who'd ever been able to sway his opinions on everything in the slightest and now she'd gotten close to him. Then there was that odd innocence. People would want to protect it.

He rolled first to one side, then to the other. Try as he might, he could not get to sleep. Crossing his arms over his chest, his frustration was hitting its peak. He threw the covers aside and shivered—the temperature outside was dropping. So much for a walk in the garden…he didn't want to get dressed again. Moving soundlessly, he prowled the dark halls instead. It was a habit he'd developed very young—he'd gotten so used to sneaking that he moved soundlessly without even making his robes rustle. He paused by Hatori's room first. It was empty, which was to be expected. Then, he found Melody's room.

He paused.

He pressed his ear against the door. He couldn't hear anything, so he very carefully slid the door open a crack. It was dark. He nudged it open a little bit more and looked around. Melody wasn't in there. Her bed was a mess—the covers were rumpled. Akito looked around. A suitcase lay open in the floor and various clothes and items were spewing out. He saw several of those newsboy caps that she favored in every imaginable color. There were also a bunch of those ballet flats that she wore. He almost tripped over one and kicked it aside. Her sketchbook lay open beside the bed, but he didn't want to risk turning on the light to look at it. Notably absent was the laptop. He was glad, at least, she'd taken his advice to heart. Akito wasn't really sure what he was looking for specifically in here, but he didn't find it. Perhaps he was trying to find some clue about her identity.

He paused on his way out. There was a book laying open on her night table. He picked it up and examined it carefully. The gilded cross on the front shone softly in the moonlight. He made sure to put it back where he found it and lay it exactly as it was. He could only make out a few characters in the dark and they were letters he'd never seen before. Deciding he'd wasted enough of his time around here, he slipped out again and continued on his way.

His belly rumbled. Of all the times to be hungry…well, there was no one up at this hour. He'd have to go and get his own snack. Hopefully there was something in the kitchen that didn't require cooking—he'd only set foot in there a few times in his entire life. He started making his way down there. The big windows displaying magnificent views of the garden threw pale blue-silver pools of light on the floor. Once, he thought he saw something out of the corner of his eye and turned to look. Nothing seemed to be there, so he chalked it up to a breeze or maybe a small animal that was late getting to sleep.

Akito was halfway to the kitchen when he heard something just beyond his scope of vision. His heart began to thunder, but he scolded himself inwardly. Somebody else might be having a difficult night. Somebody might be having a tryst. He could never be sure which and an evil little smile crossed his features. If they only knew who was approaching…

But he never found the source. When he reached the spot where he thought the sound had come from, there were no footsteps. There were no breaths. There were no people. Akito felt a cold sweat break out all over. His feet were chilled inside his slippers. His hands were like ice. Now, the dark seemed to be a living thing that was out to get him.

_That's stupid…there's nothing there,_ he scolded himself.

The welcoming light of the kitchen was just up ahead. The main lights were off, but there were lights along the counters that glowed a soft pale yellow. Akito breathed a sigh of relief. He'd always had a love/hate relationship with the dark and now he really despised it. Once his pulse went back to normal, he realized he wasn't alone.

Melody was sitting at one of the tables. Her laptop was open in front of her and the scent of coffee drifted out of a lidded cup nearby. She was eating something crunchy and the sound reached his ears all the way from over here. She was playing some kind of a game judging by the bright graphics. Cheesy digital music softly drifted through the speakers. She scooted back and grabbed the cup, apparently wanting to get a refill. When she saw Akito, she dropped the cup with a loud clatter and flattened back up against the table.

"You don't pay much attention to your surroundings, do you?" he asked, unable to resist an amused grin. Melody shakily picked up her cup with a sigh and poured more coffee into it.

"What are you doing here, anyway? It's two in the morning."

"Am I not entitled to go to my own kitchen whenever I want?"

Melody gave him a pointed look. She knew very well that he was trying to frustrate her.

"Well, I suppose not. I guess the better question is why can't you sleep?"

His stomach gurgled an answer before he could say anything.

"Oh. That would do it," she muttered, stirring a lavish amount of cream into her coffee. He started rifling around in the cabinets. So far, there was nothing around that didn't have to be cooked.

"Healthy or unhealthy?" Melody asked.

"What?"

"Do you want something healthy or unhealthy? If you're looking for healthy food, there's a bunch of fruit in the refrigerator. If you're looking for something a little more me-ish, there's a bunch of cookies on the table. I could eat a whole pack myself, but then everyone else would end up without. They're addictive, though."

She continued doctoring the coffee. Akito retrieved a fistful of the cookies. Nothing ever felt so good as the relief of an acidic stomach being filled. Melody returned to the table with her coffee and took a big drink. As much as she'd altered it, it didn't even smell much like coffee anymore.

"One of these days I hope I get to work in a coffee shop," she said fondly, holding the cup in both hands as the warmth soaked into her chilled fingers, "I must know a thousand different ways to make it."

"Already sick of us?" he asked condescendingly.

"Nope. Not at all. In fact, the longer I'm here, the more I want to stay," she said, "I love hanging out with everyone in the garden and all the drawing places and helping people. And I never get tired of exploring when I have the time—there's a lot of land here."

"Yes," he said, looking down at the bitten cookie in his hand, "it's a shame there's no one to pass it to."

Melody took another drink of her coffee.

"Planning on leaving us anytime soon?" she asked.

Perhaps it was that his mind was tired even though his body was awake. Perhaps it was how unsettled he was on the way here, but something made a little of his secret life bleed out into the open.

"It's not like I planned any of it," he said just after swallowing, "it's that I have no choice. All of our choices were taken away the moment we were conceived."

Melody's face was lit with a strange combination of colors from the game she was playing. Part of one cheek was pink, the other was orange. Her chin had green on it and her forehead had blue.

"You have more than you think," she said quietly.

He realized again what he was getting into and she could feel him pulling away from her in his head.

"You don't know what it's like," he said quietly.

"Dying? I know more than you think."

He finally looked up at her, meeting her gaze.

"Oh, yes, Akito. I have experienced that moment where you draw your last breath and for a second, you're not quite sure where you are. I wasn't going to tell anyone here, but I have been to the other side."

She waited for it. She expected him not to believe her or to tease her or even just tell her to shut up, but he didn't.

"And?" he prompted.

"And it's a little scary at first," she admitted, "but then you realize you're free. If there's anyone you loved at all, they're waiting for you on the other side. You see things you'd never in a million years dream of. It only lasted seconds, but it felt like a lifetime."

"Were you afraid?"

"Well, yes and no. Yes only because I'd never done it before—most new things are like that—but mostly no because I knew that Father was waiting on the other side. He'd been with me the whole time, of course, but I knew I'd actually see him and hear his voice again. I miss that…I try to remember now, but I can't—no mortal can. It'd fry these delicate little brains. They're tough, but they aren't that tough. And I can't remember home, either, except that it had a great big beautiful garden, even bigger than this one."

He actually wanted to accuse her of lying. He wanted to laugh at her and tell her she was wrong and that she was an idiot, but something stopped him. Maybe it was the genuineness in her face. Maybe it was the soft, trusting, childlike tone that she took on.

"I wish I had your faith," he said quietly.

Nothing waited for him on the other side, or at least not that he knew of. There was darkness and loneliness. He tried to picture that garden, always full of millions of different flowers and trees laden with fruit. He tried to think of people being happy, laying in the sunshine, and not any of them hurt or ill.

"I'm very fortunate," she said, "I didn't start out the way I am. I've never had reason to doubt. All of you, though…I admire all of you so much. Those of you who know my Father work very hard to keep that relationship going and it's got to be the toughest thing in the world to keep it going for someone whose voice you've never heard and whose face you've never seen."

That was interesting…she was the first one he'd ever heard acknowledging that it was hard if not impossible.

"Now you know."

He finished his second cookie and reached for a third.

"I know you said you weren't into the friends idea, but thanks for keeping me company," she said with a yawn, "I think I could sleep for a year now."

He thought of staying there, but decided against it. It was getting colder. Too cold…where was that coming from, anyway?

"Akito? Is it always this cold in here?" she asked him timidly as they left the relative safety of the kitchen.

"It shouldn't be," he said, wrapping his arms tightly around his body to hold in the heat, "unless there's another storm coming."

A door slammed nearby and Melody almost jumped out of her skin.

"It was just a door," Akito said, annoyed, though it had scared him, too.

"Right…just a door…silly me," Melody said breathlessly, "I'm always jumping at shadows."

Just ahead of them, another door slid open. Both of them paused right beside each other. Something was coming out and it was a big something. Without thinking, Melody's hand clamped over Akito's. The something growled. If Akito hadn't been so unnerved, he'd have given the girl a piece of his mind.

"You don't belong here," Melody said shakily, tightening her grip on Akito's hand, "g-go away. We don't want you."

The creature moved forward. Akito could just make out a figure whose face was ghastly and distorted.

"Go away! You have no place in this house no matter what you might think!" she said firmly.

The creature advanced on them and they backed up a few steps.

"In the name of my Father, I demand that you leave here at once," Melody said, anger welling up beneath the cold fear. All at once, the creature dissipated. She let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding.

"Oh, I hate when they do that," Melody sighed, "they mess with my armor. It makes it feel like I'm going to fall all to pieces and just melt…"

She realized she was holding Akito's hand and released it.

"Sorry…"

He rubbed the back of it with his other hand. As hard as she had squeezed, he wouldn't be surprised if he had bruises there tomorrow.

"What was that?" he asked, unable to deny that they had seen the same creature.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," she said truthfully.

He raised an eyebrow.

"Try me. You've told me one wild story after another since arriving here."

"They weren't stories, they were real. And that, my dear stubborn man, was a demon. It was a real honest-to-God demon. And it would have gotten us both."

She sounded tired.

"You should cut back on the coffee," Akito said coldly, "and stop playing computer games at this time of night."

She stared at him, wide-eyed.

"You saw it, though. You can't tell me it was all in my head."

"I don't know what I saw," he insisted, "and I don't want to talk about it any more. I'll probably have nightmares as it is."

She closed her eyes and sighed very deeply.

"All right, fine…have it your way," she muttered, "at least I know you're all right."

He muttered something under his breath. They were finally to her room, so she said good night to him reluctantly for the second time and went inside. He didn't want to and would probably never admit it, but he waited until he heard the sound of her lock click before continuing on. He thought he wouldn't be able to sleep very well after that, but the next time he opened his eyes, it was morning. The day dawned gray and misty and he'd already put it out of his mind. Perhaps they'd never know what really happened last night, but that wasn't important. He had too few days left and he didn't want to spend them worrying about something imaginary.

"Is everything all right, Melody? You've been awfully quiet today," Hatori remarked.

Melody glanced up from all the papers she was filing.

"Yeah, I guess…it's just that…have you ever seen anything strange here at night? Like stranger than normal?"

"No…why do you ask?"

"I went to the kitchen last night for coffee and snacks because I had some trouble getting to sleep. And then Akito showed up. We stayed there for a little while and then we saw something on the way back. It was horrible…it looks like a person, but not like a person. Its face was all ruined…I don't even have words for it. Akito saw it, too, and it scared us both. I made it go away, but I'm not entirely sure it won't be back."

Hatori frowned.

"That is unusual. Are you sure it wasn't someone maybe playing a trick on you two?"

"I'm sure," Melody sighed, "and I wouldn't have been so concerned if Akito hadn't been standing right beside me."

Hatori's expression was thoughtful.

"What was Akito doing up at that time of night, I wonder?" he asked more to himself than anything.

"He was hungry," Melody answered, "I heard his stomach growling. After he almost gave me a heart attack…"

"Why? What happened?"

Melody's grin was an embarrassed one.

"He snuck up on me. Even with my synesthesia, I didn't catch him. He moves like a living shadow."

Hatori's smile was sympathetic.

"He's done it to me, too. He's done it to all of us at one point or another. He used to do it quite a bit when he was younger just to prove a point—he wanted to show us that he could be everywhere."

Melody shuddered.

"He still does that from time to time to remind us," Hatori said, "but not nearly as much."

"I was just glad that I didn't hit him on accident," she admitted, "I've done it before and I always feel terrible afterward."

"I'm glad you didn't either, for your sake," he replied.

Melody reached the last paper in the stack. All her regular chores were done, so she decided to make a quick phone call. Shigure answered on the third ring.

"Hatori?" Shigure's voice asked.

"No. It's Melody. How are all of you feeling today?"

"Oh…Melody! Nice of you to check in on us," Shigure said, "we're still a bit under the weather, but Kyo and Yuki are back to arguing and Tohru's trying unsuccessfully to help the maids. The food they brought certainly helped, as did Hatori's shots and your presence."

Her cheeks pinked.

"Well, I'm glad I was able to help. How is Yuki doing?"

"He seems almost back to normal. He's a little tired and we're not letting him do anything, but he's breathing better."

"I'm so glad," Melody said, "I'll be here all day, so if you need anything please don't hesitate to ask."

"I wouldn't mind your company now and then," he said flirtatiously. Hatori made a face behind her.

"Well, I'd be happy to come and visit you all when things settle down," she said warmly, "I've been here a little over a week and there's still so many places I haven't gone yet."

"We'll be thinking of some things. Oh, and…You-Know-Who hasn't been giving you a hard time, has he?"

"Nah…he's actually been very quiet lately," Melody said, "I haven't seen him at all today."

"Well, I suppose no news is good news," Shigure replied, "well…I'd better go and join the others. The maids have lunch ready. Thank you for checking on us."

"No problem. See you guys later," Melody said. She looked up at Hatori and giggled at his expression.

"What's with that face?" she asked.

"Be careful around Shigure," Hatori warned her, "he's a very big flirt. If he finds out you aren't with anyone, he'll be very persistent."

"Persistent about what?" she asked, puzzled. There was something very familiar about this conversation, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Not only was she forgetting her home and her Father's face, but she was also rapidly forgetting all that had happened last time she'd worn flesh. It was as if she was starting completely over.

Hatori stared. An odd feeling came over him. He wanted to tell her to stop joking around, that he was being serious. But looking at her face told him that she really didn't know. Was it possible for someone else to be that sheltered?

Just then, the phone rang again, putting an end to the awkward moment. Melody swung around in her chair and answered it in the middle of the first ring.

"It's for you," she said, handing the phone to Hatori. It had something to do with medical supplies. Melody went into the next room to check on the patients that had stayed there last night. She took Hatori's clipboards and checked all the monitors and asked how everyone was doing. By the time he got off the phone, it was time to dispense all the medicines. While Melody wanted to heal them all, she knew she wouldn't be able to. She had to, regrettably, take only the ones who weren't responding to the medicine. As a result, two more severely dehydrated and malnourished Sohmas walked out of there with a story to tell. And, regrettably, Melody witnessed two more sets of memories that deeply disturbed her.

She had gone in the storage room for just a moment when Hatori came to find her. Despite not being able to see her face, he could tell by her posture that she was crying.

"What's the matter?"

She was silent.

"Did either of them say anything to you?"

She shook her head.

"What happened?"

She turned to face him, grief-stricken.

"There's something that happens every time I help someone," she told him, "something that I never tell anyone about usually. Will you promise not to tell?"

He nodded and closed the door behind him.

"I promise."

She moved to sit on a pile of boxes. After she'd regained her composure a bit, she drew in a deep breath.

"I hate crying. I really do….I hate how it makes my eyes and my head hurt and gooey stuff come out of my face. Anyway," she sighed, "each time I do it, I get a memory. I never see people's memories on purpose—it's always an accident. Sometimes I get a good memory, but I usually get the ones that have caused them pain. All that hurt spills over into me and I steal away the hurt to replace it with healing. Unfortunately, sometimes that hurt starts building up. I saw some things they'd been through and it just…"

She bit her lip hard enough to draw blood and cleared her throat noisily. She was careful not to let Hatori see the blood even though she detested the hot metallic taste of it.

"I feel it. I feel it as if I were the one being hurt," she said dejectedly, "and I just want to make it go away, but I can't make them forget. It's not my place to."

"We remember things like that for a reason," Hatori said gently, wishing he could hug her without transforming, "and I think it's to remember all the blessings we have. I really do believe if one person can hurt another so badly, then another could heal them. I don't think it's any accident that you came to us when you did."

She managed a small smile and thanked her Father for reminding her of her true mission.

"Thanks, Hatori," she said quietly, "I guess I better get back in there. The beds won't change themselves."


	6. Chapter 6

"That was the best…well…anything…I've ever eaten!" Melody announced. For most of the mealtime, talk had been very sparse. Everyone here had just regained their appetites and Tohru had made a fantastically huge feast for dinner in celebration. Kyo had politely declined the stewed leeks and instead suggested that Melody try them. He wasn't sorry to see them disappearing into her mouth as fast as Tohru could serve them to her.

"I'm glad you liked them," Tohru said politely, always the bustling hostess, "it's the least we could do after what happened last week."

"Yes…I owe you one for getting Akito out of my face," Kyo admitted reluctantly.

"It was a little hard to concentrate with all that ruckus," Melody admitted, "I really did think I was going to have to give you all your shots after I made Hatori change…I was nervous and I didn't want to hurt anyone because of what he was doing."

"You haven't had any trouble with him, have you?" Yuki asked quietly.

"No, actually," Melody admitted, "I've seen him get annoyed and even a little angry at times, but he's never laid a hand on me. He hasn't even really shouted at me."

"He's probably afraid you won't heal him again if he does," Kyo said bluntly.

"There's more going on here than what anyone realizes," Melody told them all, "I haven't brought it up to anyone at the main house just yet, so please don't mention it. There's more to this than just Akito being sickly and losing his temper a lot. He's just as spiritually ill as he is emotionally—and one day we will need all of your help. Akito has acute intermittent porphyria, which is a metabolic disease. It's rare and hard to treat—and the symptoms are as much mental as they are physical. He lashes out because his own body is betraying him, making him see and hear and feel things that aren't always there. It makes him anxious, depressed, irritable, and so forth. Hatori and I were the only ones who really knew until now—the others at Sohma House don't know as far as I know. Whether Akito wanted it kept a secret or he just chose not to say is unknown. But I thought you all might want to know."

"And he expects us to forgive him for that?" Kyo crossed his arms over his chest.

"No. In fact, I don't think he's told anyone that it's mostly the reason he has these outbursts," Melody told him, "Akito hasn't asked for anything. It was like trying to nail gelatin to a tree to get him to let me heal him—he never asked, not even when he was in serious pain. He doesn't know how. All his life, he's been told that he must be this god-like figure, so it really bothers him when he can't handle things himself. I strongly believe that's why he's never hurt Tohru though he had plenty of chances to run her off. She saw it and called him on it."

Tohru's cheeks were pink.

"His time is coming," Melody told them, "when he's going to realize that he isn't God. It's going to be extremely hard on him and he's going to need every single one of you. Whether you forgive him for his transgressions is between you and the real God—I can't sway you one way or another."

"And you know this how?"

"Because," she said with a sad smile, "I was sent to help him do it."

After that, they turned to lighter topics.

"Tohru? May I help with the dishes?" Melody asked politely.

"Oh, no, no, that's all right, you're company," Tohru babbled the way she always did when she thought she was inconveniencing someone.

"I insist," Melody said gently, firmly. They began to clear up all the dishes, though the boys stayed to keep them company.

"I've heard that there was an author in the house," Melody said, scrubbing one of the rice bowls, "what kind of books do you write?"

Shigure, clearly pleased that she'd done her homework, grinned.

"Oh, I've dabbled in everything. I've drafted some fiction here and there and I'm considering doing it on a more permanent basis."

Kyo sent Shigure a warning look.

"I'm always in the market for a good book," Melody said, "especially when I have a night shift in the hospital wing or a night that I can't sleep."

"I have a few I might be willing to part with."

He returned a big grin to Kyo.

"Thank you for helping," Tohru said as they put away the now-clean dishes. The kitchen was just as sparkling clean as the maids had left it when they'd departed the day before.

"No problem," Melody said, "the sooner we get the chores out of the way, the sooner we can do fun things. Have any of you ever played 'Uno Attack'?"

There were several different kinds of cards. There were the regular number cards that ranged from 1 to 9 and they came in blue, green, red, and yellow. The object of the game was to match either the color or the number. The cards were placed on a hollowed-out rectangle on the back of a plastic red machine. If you couldn't play a card, you had to press the button. This was where things got tricky: sometimes the machine wouldn't give you any cards. Sometimes it would deal you two or three, sometimes it would deal you as many as twelve cards. The object was to get rid of all of your cards. It seemed to be a simple enough game until Melody explained the so-called "sabotage cards". There were helpers, like the wild-cards and the "discard all of color" cards, then there were "punch" cards where the next person to play would have to press the button a certain number of times. There was a great deal of confusion as all of them were learning how to play and then a great deal of laughter as they started to get the hang of it. Tohru was reluctant to use any of her sabotage cards at first, but soon she loosened up and gave Kyo an "x?" card, which meant that he had to keep pressing the button until the machine gave him cards. After two or three pushes of nothing, the machine spat out a big pile of them.

"This is a stupid game!" he growled.

"You're only saying that because you're losing," Shigure told him. He only had what appeared to be three cards. Kyo examined his "novel" (Melody often referred to a big pile of them as a "book" or a "novel"). He grinned sinisterly. When his turn came around again and Shigure only had two cards left, he played his card.

"Uh-oh…" Melody laughed breathlessly, "Shigure, you're in trouble now."

"What is that one?" Shigure asked. The card had a picture of three cards on top and three on the bottom. Two curved arrows surrounded them.

"That's the 'gimme' card," Melody told him, "if anyone plays that, they can force someone else to trade cards with them."

Shigure made a pouting face as he handed over his two cards for Kyo's twenty-something cards. Everyone else cracked up.

"Take that, you mangy mutt!" Kyo said smugly.

"Yuki, it's your turn," Melody prompted him.

Yuki's violet eyes darted from one to the other. Then, with a big grin, he also played a "gimme" card and took Kyo's cards.

"You damn rat!" Kyo exploded.

Melody was laughing so hard that she had tears coming out.

"Yuki, I am so sorry," she said, playing her own trade-card.

The same two cards lapped the table before Tohru broke the streak by dealing a card that made everybody press the button. Yuki's hopes that he would win were dashed when he got about eight cards from the machine when he was down to his last one. Tohru ended up being the winner, as her last card was a wild card.

"Way to go!" Melody said genuinely. She would have to introduce this game to the others tomorrow. They played two more games before she glanced up at the clock.

"Oh, it's getting late," she sighed, "Hatori will be here any second to pick me up. I should probably put this stuff away and go outside to wait for him."

"It's a shame you can't stay longer," Tohru said, "it was nice having another girl in the house."

"Yes it was," Shigure chimed in. Kyo smacked him in the back of the head.

"Well, I appreciate it," Melody told them, "a change of scenery is always a blessing. I really enjoyed spending time with you all. Hopefully we won't have so many belly-flus going on at once for a while."

She heard a car motor and retrieved her small black backpack. She said goodbye to everyone and descended the porch steps. Ah, bed was going to be pleasant tonight! She was euphoric, yet very sleepy and was looking forward to sliding into the soft sheets. There would be no cookies and late-night-computer games tonight. Maybe Hatori would have the radio on and she could just recline back in the seat and close her eyes for a second…

As she neared the car, she noticed something. It was the same kind of car, but the windows were tinted. She blinked two or three times, wondering if it was a trick of the light. It was dark out here, after all. Maybe the shadows just seemed deeper due to the headlights? Shrugging, she waved goodbye to them all one last time before opening the door and sliding in.

"I can't remember the last time I had this much fun," she said, snapping her seatbelt into place, "oh, you should have seen it! We were playing this game when—"

Her speech abruptly cut off when she realized who was behind the wheel.

"Oh…hi, Akito! Where's Hatori?"

"Something came up," he said quietly, "he asked me to come and get you as a favor."

Melody frowned.

"Is something wrong?"

Akito pulled out of the driveway. Melody's heartbeat grew louder in her ears until it seemed as if it were beating thunder. For several seconds, he didn't say anything. Then, he glanced sideways at her.

"Someone attacked him," he said angrily, "his attacker must have been a female because he transformed. Then, whoever it was stepped on him. If someone hadn't seen, he could have been killed."

Melody's lip trembled.

"Oh, no!"

"Yes. Most of his bones look to be broken and he's hanging on by a thread," Akito snapped, "and none of this would have happened if he hadn't been on his way to get you!"

Melody felt tears coming to the surface.

"Akito, you can't possibly think that I had anything to do with this?"

"Maybe not," he spat, "but it's still partly your fault."

She blinked and the tears trickled down her cheeks.

"I didn't do anything wrong! You can't blame this on me!"

"If anything happens to him, I am holding YOU responsible! You hear me?!"

He slammed his fist into the console, actually hitting it hard enough to make a dent. Melody shrank into her seat, frightened.

_He's this upset because he cares about Hatori so much,_ she told herself, _I don't blame him, but I wish he'd slow the car down…he's driving like a maniac!_

By the time they reached Sohma House, Melody was motion-sick from Akito's crazy driving and fear, but she staggered towards the hospital wing as fast as she could on her shaking legs. Akito grabbed her by one arm and dragged her along, insistent that she wasn't walking fast enough. By the time they made it there, they were both out of breath from practically sprinting. Everyone else had been run out of the place and Hatsuharu was standing guard there. He stepped aside to let them in.

"Oh my…" Melody's explanation trailed off as the breath froze in her lungs. Hatori was on the very first bed. He had been stripped down to almost nothing, she assumed, as the damage was assessed. Several dark bruises marred his skin. Blood was pouring out of his nose and mouth, soaked up by gauze pads that were placed there to try and stem the flow. Akito shoved her towards the bed. She could feel massive tremors running through his arms. And she knew then that he was more scared than he'd ever been in his entire life.

Hatori was unconscious for the time being. Melody brushed his hair out of his face and willed herself to stop crying. Crying took precious energy that she could not waste. Placing her hands carefully over his head and his heart, she began to pray. This time, she did not whisper. Akito and Hatsuharu stood watching, both as pale as a new snow. One by one, Melody guided the broken bones back into place. There was a strange grinding sound as they began to fuse together. The soft tissue that had been injured healed with a sickening squelch and the bruises began to fade. Melody swayed unsteadily, her skin taking on a worrying grayish tinge, but she kept going.

"Is she going to be all right?" Hatsuharu asked, worried.

Akito didn't answer.

Melody was shrinking right before their eyes. Her cheekbones stuck out from her shriveling skin sharply. Her jeans sagged and she clamped one elbow against them to try and keep them from falling down. Her hair had lost its luster, turning brittle and straw-like under the harsh fluorescent lights. Her breathing became ragged and uneven. Then, her eyes rolled back and she fell.

Akito was by her side before he'd realized he'd moved.

"Help me," he demanded. Hatsuharu helped him lift her onto the next bed. She felt strangely light in their arms and her breath sounded harsh and ugly. Akito stared in horror from her to Hatori to back again.

"Call the others," he told Hatsuharu, "and tell them to come up here."

Hatsuharu, bound by the demands of his curse, went away to the office. Akito shook Melody hard.

"Wake up! Wake up!" he demanded. She was limp under his hands. A sick feeling rose in his stomach as he felt along her neck for a pulse. It was there, but it was so faint that he could hardly feel it. Suddenly, he felt cold all over.

_I don't know what to do…_

Sirens wailed in the distance. He could hear his own heart beating in his ears and feel the strain as his lungs tried to draw in air that the rest of his body wouldn't let him have. He numbly watched them take Melody and Hatori away on stretchers. Someone wrapped a blanket around his shoulders. People were talking, but they all sounded far away.

_Anyone who gets close to me gets hurt…_

Above their heads, above the trembling and pale Akito and his equally frightened friends, someone was watching. If they had but turned their heads, they would have seen a dark shadowy figure watching from the roof. It stifled a laugh as it watched Hatori and Melody being loaded into the back of ambulances. It surprised the shadow vaguely that there were two—it shouldn't have been but one that was taken away. It didn't get a good look at the other one because the EMT's were in the way, but that wasn't a concern. It had a plan. It always had a plan….


	7. Chapter 7

Akito was not doing well. The strong smells of antiseptic and bleach, the sound of gurneys being wheeled around, and the sterile whiteness of the hospital had practically shut him down. He huddled in one of the hard plastic waiting room chairs, unable to focus his mind. It had been a couple of years since he was last treated here, but his memory had not been good. He was seeing it all over again in his minds' eye.

_Hatori had rushed him through those sliding doors over there. He'd wrapped Akito up in a blanket and was carrying him cradle-style in his arms. Akito was trembling all over, the pain in his middle making him scream. His shrill childish unchanged voice had been echoing all around him, but he hadn't been able to stop as hard as he tried. He'd known that something was wrong all day because his body had been growing weaker and weaker. Unable to find anyone to play with for the time being, he'd simply gone to the garden himself. That was when the pain started. Knowing he'd have to stay in bed and aching for sunshine, he'd refused to go into the house despite it. He didn't give in until he was really hurting—and by then, he desperately needed a bathroom break. His mother did not like accidents and he knew he'd be in serious trouble if he had another one. Hurrying past everyone else and clenching one hand between his legs, he made it just in time only to receive the biggest shock of his life: his urine had turned a dark red. Akito had backed away from the toilet with a cold sweat._

_ I'm going to die…was the only coherent thought he could manage. When he'd emerged from the bathroom, trembling and crying, he clutched his painful middle. Their living space was just down the hallway. Hatori's area was down the other side. Akito desperately wanted to go see Hatori because Hatori always found a way to make him feel better. If he was dying, however, he should probably go see his mother. _

_ Ren had been lying on her bed reading some trashy romance novel that Akito wasn't allowed to even touch when Akito had staggered in. Any ordinary mother should have known that something was wrong just by looking at him. He was struggling not to vomit, as that would make a mess and upset her._

_ "Mama…" he gasped, not quite knowing what to say._

_ She glanced up._

_ "What do you want, Akito?" She asked frostily._

_ "Mama….it hurts…I think I'm dying…"_

_ "Don't be such a baby."_

_ "No…really…I…"_

_ He'd dropped to the floor then, as he no longer had the strength to stand. He didn't go unconscious, though he dearly wished he'd had. His eyes were closed. Now Ren was slightly worried. She rose from the bed._

_ "Akito Sohma, you stop that right now!"_

_ But he couldn't. He was starting to cry now because he was scared and because he hurt. Much to his horror, she backed away from him slowly before running out of the room. When he felt gentle hands turning him over, they were not hers, but Hatori's. Even after he had confirmed that this was beyond his scope to fix and that Akito would have to go to the hospital, Ren would not touch him. He was placed in the backseat of the car and left to howl in pain. Hatori might have held him if he hadn't been the one driving. After they'd given him some medicine for the pain and run a bunch of tests to see what was going on, Ren still did not come to comfort him. When he was allowed, at last, to see visitors, it was Hatori who stepped in as the makeshift father, for Akito's real father was dead._

_ "Where's Mom?" Akito asked as Hatori settled onto the edge of his bed._

_ "She had to go home," Hatori said. Akito wondered why he was looking like that, why his voice sounded stony._

_ "Wasn't she scared? I know I was," Akito admitted._

_ Hatori didn't have an answer. It was then that Akito had an awful, crushing realization for a child._

_ "She doesn't want me," Akito said tearfully, "she doesn't like me because there's something wrong with me. And that's why you're here and she isn't."_

_ Hatori opened his mouth to protest, but the words wouldn't come. The look on his face told Akito everything._

It was the first of many hellish nights he'd spent in here. This place was meant to heal you, but to Akito, it was nothing but a white-tiled prison. Everywhere you looked, there was white. There was so much white that he wanted to scream and ask them all to paint it some other color, for God's sake! But he didn't.

Someone touched his shoulder and nearly made him jump out of his skin.

"Akito?"

It was Tohru. His first impulse was to slap her hand away and scold her for touching him. She felt him twitch, but he merely gritted his teeth together in annoyance.

"Are you all right?" she asked gently.

He didn't answer. Much to his chagrin, she sat down beside him.

"I'm sure they'll both be fine," she said, trying to force a smile. Kyo and Yuki were on the other side of the room. They were watching both of them like hawks, which got on Akito's nerves even more.

"Leave me alone," Akito snapped, "and tell them to stop staring. It's rude."

Anyone but Tohru would have probably laughed and said he could have written the book on rudeness, but Tohru didn't.

"They're worried, too," Tohru told him, "and they know something's bothering you."

Akito's face was buried in his hands.

"Someone tried to kill my doctor," he growled, "of course it's bothering me! And worse, it was either someone in our family or someone's found out about our secret! I guess you could say I'm a little tense for a reason."

Tohru understood then. Despite Hatori's eyesight being wrecked by this man, and despite having the love of his life being chased off, Hatori never would actually blame Akito for it. He never seemed to blame anybody. Akito had probably run Kana off because he had felt threatened. She didn't say anything else, just sat there for a while.

"What actually did happen, anyway?"

Akito finally told her. He'd heard that Hatori was going to go pick Melody up from Shigure's house and was on his way out. Akito had happened to be watching from one of the windows when a heavily clothed figure had emerged from behind the car and hugged him. It must have been a woman because Hatori had transformed. Then, much to his horror, she had brought her booted foot down on the now helpless seahorse that was wriggling around in the coat. She'd managed to step on him at least twice before Akito made his presence known. He'd moved as fast as he could, but it still took him a few seconds to reach Hatori. He'd taken him to the hospital wing and happened across Hatsuharu on the way there. Akito told Hatsuharu to guard him with his life, then had gone after Melody because he truly believed she was the only one who could save him. Hatsuharu had then started doing CPR and chest compressions to try and get Hatori breathing again and it had worked after several attempts.

"You must have been so scared," Tohru said, wide-eyed.

"I was," Akito confessed, "there was so much blood…I panicked."

As he told his story, he was unaware of the rest of the family circling him.

"You probably saved his life," Shigure told him, "and for someone who panicked, you accomplished a lot in a very short amount of time."

Akito's dark sapphire eyes met Shigure's dark brown almost black ones. For the first time in history, there was a tiny trace-smile of approval there. Even Yuki had that ghost of a smile. The moment lasted but a few seconds, however, because one of the doctors emerged from the back room.

"I have good news and bad news about your friends," he said, "the good news is about Hatori. He's got several soft-tissue injuries and some internal bleeding, but it appears to have been stopped. Though he's also got a few fractures, most of them are small and will heal without any complications. I've never seen anything like it—he looks as if he's been crushed under something heavy, but the injuries already seem to be healing. As for the girl, Melody…"

Akito's stomach was filled with acid.

"I don't know what's happened to her. She has the body weight of an anorexic. She's also severely dehydrated and malnourished. All of this has put a strain on her heart. If she makes it through the night, there's a good chance she'll recover. We'll have to keep her here until she gains a few pounds."

"May we see them?" Shigure asked.

"Of course. I must warn you that the girl isn't very responsive right now, however. You will have to go in one at a time since there are so many of you."

"Why don't you go first, Akito? You did save their lives, after all."

"If anything, Hatsuharu saved their lives," Akito mumbled, "he called the hospital."

"Go on," they urged him. Drawing in a deep breath, Akito followed one of the nurses to the back room. He felt an uncomfortable cramping in his stomach, more from nerves than anything else, but he was determined to tough it out. There was no one here to guide him and move him gently towards the things that frightened him—today, he must do it himself. He found Hatori first and placed his hand over his father figure's. Hatori's eyes opened slowly, having the glazed look of someone who'd been heavily medicated.

"Akito," he rasped.

"You'll be all right now," Akito told him, "I brought Melody for you."

"Where is she?"

"In the next bed."

The look on Akito's face told him everything.

"She shouldn't have…"

"I'm glad she did," Akito interrupted, "you're the only person who's ever cared about me. I couldn't let you die."

Hatori's hand gave Akito's a weak squeeze.

"Thank you."

It was rare, almost unheard of for the young man standing over him to show any affection whatsoever. Hatori couldn't really remember the last time Akito had been like this. The mask of indifference he'd always wore, even anger, had gone, even if it was just for a short time. He could see the naked fear in Akito's eyes and realized that there was a shred of love under all that selfishness.

"Go see her," Hatori told him, "and thank her…"

His eyes slid shut again, a result of the pain medicine. Akito gave his hand a last squeeze and went to look at Melody.

What he saw horrified him. There were so many tubes and machines on her that she looked like a science experiment. Though he knew those tubes were actually keeping her alive, they appeared to be draining her. The hospital gown that they'd put her in was too big—it almost seemed to be swallowing her. The white was too harsh against her skin and he found himself wishing they'd have given her a blue or green gown. The heart monitor registered regular waves, though the beeps were painfully far apart. Several IV bags were being fed into her veins, some of which he was sure was glucose to refuel her now-starved body. Her eyes seemed too sunken in, the sockets too deep and shadowed. If it weren't for the waves on the monitors, Akito would have thought she was dead. He stood over her for several minutes, not knowing what to think. Part of him was horrified that he'd even put her in that position. He actually wondered why he had blamed her. If anything, the person who'd hurt Hatori was the one who needed to be held responsible.

_ She would have healed him anyway,_ Akito told himself, _that's what she does. She gives part of herself so that they can be well. She likes Hatori. She wouldn't want him to suffer._

He wanted her to wake, and yet he was afraid for her to. If she opened her eyes, she'd see his fear. He was afraid that neither of them would make it, that he would be on his own without someone to take the hurt away. It scared him and made him feel so cold on the inside that it felt as if his very soul was icing over.

Melody twitched then.

"Come on," he said in her ear, "come on, you stubborn, silly girl!"

No response.

"Well, fine! Just lie there then! Don't even give me a look in exchange for all I've done for you!" he snapped. If he'd have known any songs, he might have sang for her. If he'd have known any prayers, he'd have prayed. If he'd have known even some sweet, encouraging words, he'd have whispered in her ear. But all he knew was shouting and swearing and violence.

"Damn you! Damn you for putting me through this! Damn you for showing up at my gate in the first place! I hate you, you know that?!" he shouted furiously, quivering.

The curtains parted and a doctor not much more than Hatori's age appeared.

"Akito," he said quietly, "you need to calm down. You're frightening the other patients."

Akito cut off mid-rant and looked at him.

"How did you know my name?" he asked irritably.

The doctor just smiled.

"There aren't many around here who don't know who you are," he said quietly.

The doctor came to Melody's other side. Standing there, he and Akito were directly across from each other. Melody's pale waxy skin contrasted sharply with his warm creamed-coffee complexion. Were the doctor's eyes green or hazel? He couldn't really tell. Then there was the hair—it didn't seem to be a specific color, either. The light caught it one way and illuminated it reddish-gold. Sometimes it seemed more of a brown. Then in the shadows, it was such an inky black that he almost saw blue in there as well. The doctor didn't seem to be a specific race, but a blending of them.

"Will she be all right?" Akito finally asked.

"She will recover with time," the doctor told him, "until then, you must be very careful with her. She's not an ordinary person, after all."

"Hatori said she had wings," Akito only half-joked, "and the children call her their guardian angel because she tells all these wild stories about Heaven."

The doctor was smiling.

"Oh, yes…she's had quite a few adventures."

"You know her?"

"We go pretty far back," the doctor said, "I've known her since birth. I was there for it."

"You don't look that old."

"Looks can be deceiving, can't they? Especially in a country where hardly anyone seems to age. Yes, I was there the night she was born. I delivered her with my own hands. I know her quite literally inside and out."

Akito tried to get a look at the doctor's ID badge, but he couldn't see it; the light was glaring off of it.

"When she is well enough, take her home and be kind to her," the doctor told Akito, "she's one of my greatest treasures. She came to you for a reason and you must trust her. This is only the beginning of your journey together. If you mistreat her, I will find out, make no mistake."

"Are you threatening me?" Akito asked, half-stunned, half-angry.

"No. That's a promise, Son. I have ways of finding out."

His words were calm, but stern. Akito felt like a child being scolded. As much as he wanted to snap at this man who didn't know what he was talking about, something stopped him.

"While she's here, I'm counting on you to watch over her just as she does for you," he continued, "she's going to need your protection and your help someday. Don't let us down."

And with that, he walked away. Akito went after him, getting the odd feeling that something wasn't right. When he opened the curtain to chase after the doctor, he was gone.

Akito felt his heart rate increase.

"What the-?"

_He was just right there—right FREAKING THERE?! Where the Hell did he go?! Who was he?_

"Father?"

Akito nearly jumped out of his skin. Melody was the one who had breathed that word. Her eyes were open for a second or two, though they were as glassy as Hatori's. They closed again before Akito could cross into her line of vision.

"Melody, wake up!" he shook her shoulder, but she didn't wake. Akito stared at the crack in the curtain where the doctor had gone.

_It can't be…_

But his heart told him different.

Akito didn't say anything to anyone as he returned to the waiting room. Momiji offered him a steaming cup of tea and he took it numbly. He tried to sip it, but his throat felt constricted. He pushed the little black stirring straw around and around in the cup. One by one, the others went in. It seemed to take forever and he felt very drained by the time they were all done. A snooty nurse informed them that visiting hours were over and had been for quite a long time. Shigure leaned casually against the wall beside her. Akito couldn't hear what he was saying, but he knew that Shigure was trying to put the charm on her. Judging by the sharp slap she gave him (at least it was on the shoulder instead of the face), things hadn't worked out.

"What's the matter, Mutt? Not your type?" Akito couldn't help but ask with a smirk. His brain had been begging for a distraction, any distraction at all.

"You could say that," Shigure said with a sigh, "she only dates other women."

"PHHHHHHHHHH!" Tohru's tea came shooting out of her mouth. Momiji banged on her back to try and help her stop choking. Akito was so surprised that he could only blink.

_I'm so…disturbed…that I don't know what to say to that._

"Shall we?" Shigure asked, gesturing to the door, "We can't really do anything else until morning."

They all turned to look at Akito. Ordinarily, this gave him a great deal of satisfaction, but now he just felt unsettled. He gave a nod.

"Let's go," he agreed reluctantly.

The waiting room was almost completely emptied when they made their mass exodus from the hospital. Slowly, they piled into all their various cars. As one of the eldest ones, Shigure had driven Akito since Hatori wasn't able to do it. He held the passenger-side door open for Akito. Before the ink-haired young man got in, he turned to look at the hospital one last time.

_It feels like I'm abandoning them,_ he lamented. The door closed behind him and he fumbled around with his seat belt for a moment before Shigure's hands closed over his and clicked the seat belt into place.

"It's going to be all right," his gentle voice said. Akito didn't answer. It was starting to rain and the drops looked far too much like tears streaming down the glass. He'd been terrified quite a few times in his life, but this was the worst one since that first porphyria attack in his childhood. He felt so many things at once right now that it was making him physically ill.

"Would you like for us to stay?" Shigure asked when they were almost to the gate. Akito nodded. Despite usually wanting to be alone when something was bothering him, he didn't think he could handle it. He knew, in that terrible moment, that he was not God or any variation of Him. He was only a man, if that.

They all headed inside. The rest of the people there (for they'd only brought a portion of the household to the hospital) asked all sorts of questions. Thankfully, the others took over the explanations.

"Will you be all right, Akito?" Tohru asked quietly. He didn't really answer. His glance up at her for that split second carried more meaning than words ever could. Someone else started talking to her and he took the opportunity to slip away. After all that, he was so tired. Dragging himself down the hallway, he passed his mother's old room. It was just a guest room now; he'd banished her from Sohma House over a year ago. He would never be able to banish the ghosts from his mind as easily as he would have liked to. In a moment of irritation, he slammed his fist into the door, leaving a very nice Akito's-hand—sized-dent. Waving it around in the air for a few seconds to get it to stop hurting, he resigned himself to what was probably going to be a sleepless night. He was wrong, though. Once he closed his eyes, he didn't feel as if it had been more than a minute. When he opened them again, the gray morning light was casting a silvery tint over anything.

"Ugh…" he muttered, rubbing his eyes on the back of his hand. There was a light tap on the door.

"Akito? You awake?" a voice asked. It was Shigure's.

"Yes," he mumbled, "this had better be good."

The door slid back.

"It is," Shigure answered cheerfully, "I thought you would like to know that Melody and Hatori are both awake."

Akito stopped rubbing his face and let his hand fall.

"They also both told me to tell everyone not to worry. Melody sounds pretty good for a person that almost died."

Akito gave him a dark look.

"Visiting hours begin at one," he said, "so you can go back to sleep if you want."

He tried, but it just didn't happen. After a little while, he reluctantly drew himself out of the warm cocoon of his blankets. One of the maids brought breakfast.

"Is there anything else you would like?" she asked him, being careful to stay out of arm's reach.

"Coffee," he replied, "and a lot of cream and a lot of sugar."

If she thought this was strange, she hid it very well. After all, she'd been seeing a lot of strange things lately.


	8. Chapter 8

The rain had slowed to a drizzle by the time they pulled into the parking lot. Akito tried not to think about how this was the second time in a twenty-four hour span that he'd returned to a place he hated. Shigure tried to keep up a conversation with him despite most of his attempts being in vain. He stepped out of the car with a sigh and closed the door. Suddenly, he bristled and his expression turned dark and rage-filled, the same way he'd looked the day he'd grabbed Tohru by the hair.

"What is it?" Shigure asked, startled.

Akito pointed. There, across the parking lot, was a very beautiful woman.

"What is SHE doing here?!" he hissed.

Shigure looked and he felt the blood drain out of his face. He'd know that woman anywhere. She had the same inky hair as Akito's. While Akito had several of his father's features, there was no mistaking the eyes. Akito and Ren shared the same dark blue-gray eyes and sometimes even the same rage-filled expression when they were angry. Ren had not yet noticed them, which was probably a blessing. She wore a short black dress, one of her signatures. She had a bright red car, a very expensive-looking one. Akito was shaking violently and his breath became ragged.

"Akito," Shigure said quietly, "maybe you should just ignore her."

The look that Akito gave him was pure venom.

"Look, I know this is very hard on you," he said, making his voice even quieter, "but we've got to get inside. Hatori and Melody are waiting on us. With any luck, we won't run into Ren."

They watched as Ren went inside. Akito could hear his heart pounding in his ears. An infuriated flush had rose on his cheeks, betraying the fire inside of him. Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki had just arrived and they watched with questioning looks from a couple of parking spaces away. They hadn't seen. They didn't know.

"Let's go," Akito growled finally.

Much to Shigure's pleasant surprise, Akito didn't lash out anyone, but he knew it was taking a concentrated effort not to. Tohru went to touch him, but Shigure intercepted her hand and shook his head. Kyo seemed indifferent, but Yuki stayed several paces back from them. His expression was apprehensive and Tohru didn't blame him. When they all had to pack into the elevator, Yuki paled visibly, but Akito appeared not to even notice that he was there. They asked for directions and room numbers at the nurse's station and headed for Hatori's room first. He heard Tohru ask Shigure what was wrong, but didn't say anything. He would at least be able to talk to Hatori about this. Finding the room with Hatori's name, he opened the door cautiously and poked his head in.

Hatori was awake, all right, but he wasn't alone. Ren was sitting on the end of his bed. The way her dress was, it left very little to the imagination. Hatori, ever the gentleman, was not even looking at her. He instead was staring down at his hands in his lap. He didn't look like he wanted her there at all, though he was being very polite. Akito threw the door open the rest of the way and made it bang noisily against the wall. Ren looked up at him, her expression smug.

"Well, Akito! Isn't this a nice surprise?"

The blood drained right out of Hatori's face. His eyes pled with Akito not to lose control of his temper. To his credit, Akito tried like he'd never tried before. His fists remained clenched at his sides and only stony silence met Ren's words.

"I was just telling Hatori how much I've missed everyone," she said, sliding off the bed, "especially you. My, you've grown!"

Sensing that they were about to have a serious problem, Shigure stepped between them.

"Nice to see you, too, Ren, but don't you think Akito should have some time alone with Hatori?"

"I just got here," Ren objected.

"Really," Shigure said, his voice strained, "I think it would be best if you just came back later."

Ren pouted.

"Oh, you're no fun at all, Shigure. I don't want to leave now, especially not when my baby's here!"

Akito's mouth had just opened when Kyo pushed past him into the room.

"Will you just get out of here, already? Look at him! He doesn't want to talk to you!"

Shigure and Akito both turned to look, surprised, at him.

"Ahahahaha…that's amusing," Ren laughed, "the _mangy cat_ thinks _he_ has a say!"

She stepped towards Kyo, running her fingers tauntingly along his cheek.

"You really should watch who you're speaking to, Cat. You disgrace yourself even further. Why don't you just be quiet?"

Just to rub salt in the wound, she flung her arms around him. With a POOF, Kyo transformed. He flattened his ears back and hissed at her. A sickening sound echoed through the room as the point of her heeled shoe made contact with him. Akito had decided he'd had enough. Pushing her hard away from Kyo, he stood with one foot on either side of him, protecting him.

"You leave him alone! The only one who has any right telling him what to do is ME!"

Everyone immediately grew silent. Hatori's heart monitor was beeping loudly and frantically as his pulse raced.

"OUT!" Akito snarled.

Sparks snapped in Ren's dark blue eyes.

"I came here to try and make amends," she growled, "and this is how you repay me?! Akira would be ashamed of you."

Akito shoved her away, making her stumble a little. Angry tears sparkled in her eyes as she clopped away in her ridiculous heels. Tohru's eyes were wide.

POOF!

A re-humanized Kyo appeared where the cat had been before. Akito rolled his eyes and stepped over him.

"Go on," he muttered, gesturing to the nearby bathroom. Kyo snatched up his clothes and closed the door with a loud snap. Akito realized he'd been blocking the door most of the time and moved out of the way. One by one, the others filed in. The other half of the group that had come here today was with Melody, so it wasn't as crowded as it could have been. Akito sighed, wishing things hadn't gone the way they had. He felt bad for upsetting Hatori like that.

"I'm sorry," he muttered, "you've been through enough as it is."

"It's all right," Hatori said gently. The ghost of a smile was playing on his lips. What he had just witnessed was something he never thought he'd see in a million years. Even though it was, sadly, against his own mother, Kyo and Akito had actually become allies. For once, Akito had actually acted his part and protected someone.

"Other than the thing with your heart racing," Akito finally said, "how do you feel now?"

Hatori really did smile.

"Better. Much better."

Melody was finishing her lunch when she received her first visitor. To her surprise, it wasn't anyone she had met yet. There was no mistaking the resemblance of this mysterious person, for she saw Akito's eyes looking out at her from a curtain of dark hair.

"You must be Melody," the woman said, "I'm Ren Sohma, Akito's mother."

Surprised, Melody offered her hand to shake.

"Hello," she said warmly, "I could see the resemblance! The two of you have the most beautiful eyes."

"Thank you."

"I would have called, but since the little spat between Akito and I, well, it's impossible for me to get through at the house, so I came here to thank you for what you've done for Hatori and my son. He's always been a very delicate little thing, so for him to finally meet a girl his own age, well, that's a miracle in itself."

Melody felt her pale face flush ever so slightly.

"Oh, well, I'm just Hatori's assistant. Akito and I aren't—"

"The look on your face tells me otherwise."

"No, I promise you that we're not together. I've only been there for a little over a week now and that was just to work."

"Maybe that's for the best," Ren said, interrupting her growing fluster, "because Akito is very dangerous."

"I've seen his temper, I've been very well prepared," Melody said gently, "I assure you that you have nothing to be afraid of, Mrs. Sohma."

"Oh, but you do. He killed his own father, you know. He was the only one there when Akira passed away."

Melody frowned.

"Neither of you look that old; Akito would have only been a child, right? What makes you so sure that he was the one who did it?"

"Because he wanted to be the god of the household," Ren said icily, "and he got rid of me as soon as he got the chance. Both of us dying would have caused too much suspicion. I'd watch my back if I were you, dear. All it takes is him being too angry with you, or too impatient, or too jealous."

Melody stared, wide-eyed. She didn't know what to say. In the hall, she heard voices.

"I'm telling you this because I don't want anything to happen to a nice girl like you," Ren whispered, "it's best just to get out while you can. Don't tell anyone I was here, all right? This is our little secret. I've already upset him once today just by being here and visiting Hatori."

And with that, she fled.

When Momiji and Kisa came with Hatsuharu, Melody tried to put all the terrible things Ren had said out of her mind. Kisa gave her a bouquet of flowers that she'd picked from the garden.

"They're a little wet because it's raining," she explained, "but Hatori said that flowers help sick people feel better."

"Thank you," Melody said, giving her a hug, "they definitely make this place feel a little brighter."

Kisa filled a small paper cup with water and they placed the flowers there. Momiji placed a travel bag in her lap.

"We brought your computer in case you were bored," he said, "and there are a few of my favorite games and movies there, too, in case you wanted to borrow them. And if you get sick of that, I put a couple of books in there."

"Thank you so much," Melody said, genuinely grateful. It had been a slow morning; there wasn't anything on TV that she really wanted to watch and nothing else to do while she was stuck in bed.

"It sounds like Shigure, Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki are here, too," Momiji said, "and Akito even came!"

"He did? That was nice of him," Melody said, surprised.

"He asked to come," Hatsuharu said quietly, "as soon as he woke up. I think he was pretty scared last night. We all were."

Melody's eyes glittered with grateful tears.

"Well, I can't tell you how much I appreciate you all," she said genuinely. She wanted to hug Momiji and Haru, but she wasn't sure how the hospital would react to having a cow and a rabbit in the middle of the hospital. She could only squeeze their hands. The groups changed rooms. Melody felt one of the tears escaping down her cheek.

"I wonder what it is about girls," a quiet voice said from the doorway, "I've never understood why they cry so much. You're as bad as Tohru."

Melody looked up. Akito stood in the doorway. Embarrassed, she wiped her face with her sheet.

"I don't know," she confessed, "I feel so strange, like I have so many feelings inside that they can't all fit. I wonder if it's like that for all of you all the time. It must be exhausting."

"Only when I'm around it," he said coolly, coming to stand by the bed. The others, just out of Melody's sight, were going to go in, but Shigure's hands on their shoulders kept them back.

"Oh…all right."

She folded her hands in her lap.

"Hatori told me to give this to you," Akito said, giving her a folded up note with her name written on the front. Melody grinned, seeing her name written in Chinese characters.

"I've always liked the name Father gave me," she confessed, "but there's something about seeing it written this way…it makes me feel beautiful. Is that strange?"

"Very," he said.

She looked up at him again.

"You must think I'm a terrible bore sometimes," she sighed insecurely, "but I can't tell you how much it means to me that you came to see me. I was under the impression that you didn't like me much and I was afraid you might still be angry with me."

He neither confirmed nor denied this. Instead, he said, "I wanted to thank you for what you did to Hatori. I didn't think you'd go so far as to risk your life."

Melody managed a small smile.

"He loves you," she said, "like a son. And you love him like a father. I couldn't let you lose the only person you've trusted literally with your life all these years. I didn't mean to worry you or the others…I'm sorry about that."

"Shut up."

She stared, surprised.

"You're as bad as Tohru or Ritsu," he muttered, "I don't need it from you, too."

For a moment, they sat in silence. He realized that he didn't quite know what to say to her. She didn't seem to know what to say, either.

"You owe me," he said quietly.

She nodded, realizing with a jolt that there was going to be an enormous bill that she couldn't pay. As if reading her mind, he said, "You're going to have a bill that you can't possibly cover, even as well as Hatori pays you."

"I'm sorry," she lamented, "I'll do whatever I can to make up for that. I'll get a second and even a third job if that's what it takes."

"Quiet," he said impatiently.

She closed her mouth. He noticed the waves on the heart monitor starting to go faster.

"Considering that you saved Hatori's life, I will take care of your expenses here," he said, "but you have to do some things for me in return."

"Like what?" she asked, nervous. The corners of his mouth turned upward.

"Anything I want," he responded.

She swallowed hard.

"All right…"

He rose from the chair he'd been sitting in.

"You all can stop eavesdropping now," he said to the doorway, "it's your turn now."

Shigure's look at him was wary, but Akito paid him no mind. His conscience was clear. The others had gone in. Melody unfolded Hatori's note and read it out loud to all of them:

_Melody,_

_ I can't thank you enough for saving my life last night. I must ask you, however, not to take such a big risk again, especially not for me. It would be too much for my conscience, not to mention the others, if anything happened to you. Even though Akito doesn't let on, I'm sure he was just as worried as I was when he learned of your close call last night. If anything comes up, here are the numbers to the house _(this was followed by a phone number) _and to the room that I'm currently staying in _(this was followed by another number). _God willing, we will both be able to check out soon. Once we are home, I will find a way to make this up to you. As it is, the job will be yours as long as you live if you want it. I discussed it with Akito earlier and he agrees to it. We also both agree that you should have a well-deserved rest at our vacation home (ask Tohru and the others all about it) until you regain your strength. Hopefully we will be well enough to visit with each other in person soon._

_Hatori._

"You'll love it there," Momiji announced excitedly, "there are hot springs to bathe in and there's a lake and there's…"

He went on and on for a while until Shigure interfered with "Momiji, if you tell her about everything now, there will be no more surprises."

"Oh…right," Momiji said, "sorry…"

"Why don't we go and pick something out at the gift shop?" Yuki asked him. Momiji practically dragged Yuki out of the room, not realizing that it was just a way of getting him out of the room.

"I noticed Akito didn't mention that Ren was here," Shigure said, "it shook him up quite a bit. I thought something serious was going to happen."

Melody frowned.

"I did hear some shouting earlier," she admitted, "I was wondering what that was. And…maybe I'm losing my mind, but was there a _cat_ in here?"

"That was me," Kyo said grudgingly, still holding his side where his bruised ribs were still throbbing.

"You should have seen him! He was so brave," Tohru gushed, "getting between Akito and Ren like that. He actually stood up for Akito! Then Ren hugged him and turned him into a cat and Ren hurt him and Akito was protecting him!"

Melody grinned warmly.

"Don't kid yourself," Kyo muttered, "he only did it because he can't stand the thought of someone else bossing me around. I was his favorite punching bag when we were kids."

Shigure glanced back at the door.

"No," he said quietly, "you weren't."

When Yuki and Momiji returned, they quickly changed the subject. Since Melody liked coffee so much, they'd brought her some as well as an enormous bar of chocolate.

"Speaking of food," Shigure said, glancing at Melody's half-eaten lunch, "we really ought to bring you some of Tohru's cooking. This stuff will kill you."

Melody glanced at it with bewilderment.

"It will?" she asked.

Everyone laughed. At her insistence, they divided up the chocolate. She was sorry to see them go, but it was almost dinner time and she didn't want to keep them waiting. As she ate her own bland food in front of the computer, she wondered who was telling the truth and what Akito had meant. Did he really mean to take advantage of her debt? If so, what sort of requests would he have? She didn't want to disappoint anyone, but there would be limitations, of course. She hoped he understood that. But Father was watching and Father wouldn't let anything happen to her, right?

Their hospital stay seemed to last forever. When they were able to stay sitting for a while and Hatori's bones were stabilized and healing well, the others wheeled them both outside for some fresh air. Melody would not tell anyone and it was a miracle in and of itself that she was able to slip out of her room for a few minutes at a time at night and give Hatori some help. Minor healings would only make her a little bit tired as opposed to burning up all her energy reserves. She hoped they would be able to go home together. Despite knowing how bad cigarettes were for him, Hatori had lit one and taken a deep drag off of it.

"Is it because you're a dragon?" Melody asked.

He glanced at her questioningly.

"Is what?" he asked.

"The need to breathe smoke," she said.

"She has a point," Shigure said casually.

"So, do you chase girls because you're a dog?" Hatori retorted. Everyone cracked up. It was so rare that he joked that it was always a pleasant surprise.

"I've noticed that everyone sort of takes on the personality of the year they were born in," Melody pointed out, "the dragon is the largest of all of them, so he tries to bear everyone's burden on his shoulders. The dog is the most forgiving and laid back. The cat is the most temperamental, but secretly affectionate. The rat is the most quiet and prefers not to have much attention. The rabbit is always joyous and bouncy and never slows down. The tiger watches from the shadows before it decides to make a move."

"And what do you think of me, Dear Girl?" Ayame asked.

"Well, snakes change their skins often and you run a clothes shop," Melody pointed out, "you seem to like making people comfortable in their own skins. Isuzu is a very strong girl and carries a lot of burdens though she never talks about them. Kureno tends to come and go all the time just like his bird-sign does. And Kagura has a lot of determination and stubbornness, though it's a very good kind in certain cases. And Hiro and Hatsuharu both have two sides to them; they switch back and forth from aggressive to kind depending on which one gives them the most strength. Ritsu is curious, but he's kind of afraid, too, afraid of letting anyone see the real him."

Little by little, she had met all the Sohmas. Even the ones she didn't know had come to visit her and it only took her a short time to figure them out.

"And what of Akito?" Tohru asked. Akito wasn't here now, but he had been by earlier.

"Well, he's not the real God," Melody told her, "but he's definitely got one big similarity: I can't figure him out. Just when I think I've got it, I see something else that surprises me. For some very odd reason, they had to take my IV line out and replace it because the vein had collapsed. This poor guy came in—I think he was interning or something—was fumbling around with the needle and trying to get it in. He couldn't seem to hit the vein, so he was digging around in there and I tried so hard not to make any noise or even show on my face because he's got to learn somehow. Akito all but shoved him out the door and demanded that somebody else do it."

They all looked with wide eyes.

"Then I noticed he was carrying two cups of coffee. Right when I was about to say something on the poor intern's behalf, he said 'just shut up and drink it. I've already burned myself once.' All I could really do was thank him. He didn't talk the rest of the time he was there, just stood looking out the window. These white birds kept flying by. They aren't anyone I know, by the way. I think they were just ordinary birds, but they're attracted to him."

No one knew what to say.

"It's been awfully quiet at the main house," Shigure admitted, "ordinarily, he throws at least one tantrum a day. Now he just sits around and broods."

"Well, hopefully we'll be home soon," Melody said, "it sounds as if he actually misses us. Hatori, at least."

"I don't know why he's being that way now," Kyo admitted, "he's the one who treated all of us like crap."

Melody toyed with the empty cup in her hands.

"That's just it," she said, "maybe it's a case of you don't know what you have until it's gone. I don't really think he hates you. I don't think he hates any of you. He's scared. He thinks the only way to keep you around is if you believe you can't leave him. It's childish, but I've seen it before."

Hatori exhaled a great cloud of smoke. His jade-green eyes were fixed on a point somewhere far away and Melody knew he was thinking about something very intently. She let him be for now though she intended originally to ask him what he thought.

"Well, it's getting cold out here," Shigure finally said, "we should probably get the two of you back in. It might rain again."

They were right—as soon as their wheelchairs had crossed the threshold, the rain started to patter on the concrete. By the time they were back in their rooms, it was coming down in sheets.

"Well, this'll be fun to drive home in," Kyo muttered, "come on, Tohru, Yuki."

Melody watched them go, but she wasn't by any stretch lonely. When she was feeling up to it, she sometimes read to the children in the pediatrics ward. Other times, she drew or made art on her computer. She had password-protected it at Akito's request and continued to write journal entries which had several more layers of passwords. They would all appear to be utter random nonsense to anyone but her, as she had her own "code". The journal entries themselves were even written in a language that nobody but her and the others of her kind understood. It was getting harder to remember, however, and it frustrated her that she couldn't remember how to spell certain things that she could do once with ease. It was this human brain, she supposed, as the language was lost on humanity shortly after the tower of Babel incident. The language she used was what men and women once spoke thousands of years ago. Feeling confident that she had not let Akito down in any way, she closed the laptop lid and curled up for a nap.


	9. Chapter 9

Akito had wanted to go and see the others, but today was one of his bad days. He woke feeling shaky and weak and didn't feel better after he'd eaten something. It was a cool day, but he went to go lie in the sunshine for a while. More of those white birds, similar in appearance to Melody minus her moss-green eyes, clustered around him. Some even landed on his outstretched hand. Akito managed the ghost of a smile when he saw their dark beady eyes and the softly shining feathers. It was as if they somehow knew and they wanted to keep him company. One of the maids, an older woman who was crossing the border into elderly territory, brought a pan of water and a handful of birdseed. She gave Akito a respectful bow and a grandmotherly smile and asked him if he needed anything else.

"Have the others come back yet?" he asked, surprised at how faint his voice sounded.

"Not yet," she told him, "though there has been some talk of releasing your friend and your doctor."

He nodded.

"You miss them," she said boldly, though she wasn't supposed to speak her mind. She was old and had nothing to fear if Akito lost his cool. But he didn't. Holding a little of the seed in his palm so that the birds would eat out of his hand, he replied, "Surprisingly, yes."

"Would you like some company?"

Akito was surprised. No one ever offered their company willingly, at least not until Tohru had shown up…then again, he didn't know why he was surprised. She had changed everything in a way.

"I would. If you're not busy, that is."

She settled slowly on the step beside him. Her skin was fine and brown like leather and it lay in deep wrinkles. Her hair was almost completely white, but her small dark eyes were kind and she treated everyone in this house like they were children or grandchildren. She was one of the few people that Akito ever felt guilty about lashing out at.

"Your mother called," Kyoko finally said after several moments of quiet.

"She doesn't give up, does she?" Akito asked bitterly.

"I'm afraid not. I wouldn't be surprised if she dropped by again."

Kyoko was also one of the few that had witnessed Ren's cruelty to Akito first-hand. If he so much as spilled a drink at mealtime, she'd beat him savagely and then refused to acknowledge his existence. She'd lost track of how many robes and other clothing items that she'd washed for him in secret after various normal childhood mishaps that Ren would explode over. She'd also been there to offer Akito a hug and sometimes a story or a treat to comfort him. Over time, their relationship had also become strained since Akito was determined to keep everyone at arm's length.

"Why the sudden interest? I don't understand," Akito finally said, "she's got everything she wants. She walked away with a nice portion of the family wealth. The last I heard, she was even happily married to some other rich guy and he has people there to wait on her hand and foot like she always wanted. She has no need for anything here."

"Perhaps it is her pride," Kyoko answered, "I wouldn't be surprised if she feels that it's been bruised by your refusal to accept the way you were treated."

Akito watched a pair of butterflies circling each other among the flowers.

"I could have been much worse," he answered, "she knows it and you know it. I never struck her. I didn't even shout at her that much. I let her get away with a lot of things that could have been considered my property. If I wanted to, I could have even killed her."

"Yes, even you have a merciful streak. Perhaps there's something of your father in you after all."

Akito didn't know why that made him feel better, but it did. Everyone was always saying how Akira had been such a wonderful man, so generous and loving, and it always made him feel terrible because he could never live up to Akira's reputation. After a while, he hadn't bothered to try.

"I saw it with that young girl, too. You haven't been cruel to her either and you've been rewarded."

"Melody healed me first," Akito answered.

"I was referring to Tohru," Kyoko explained, "you could have hurt her. You were strong enough in your anger that you threw Shigure and Yuki off of you, but you just let her go. God saw your mercy and was merciful to you."

"You too?" Akito muttered. Then…

"Wait a minute?! How did you know what I did?! You weren't there," he pointed out.

"Oh, yes I was," Kyoko said smugly, "I happened to be tending some of the flowers that day."

Akito's expression made her laugh.

"Don't worry, I didn't tell a soul," she said, "I never would, you know. We can't have the great Akito getting a reputation for being nice, can we?"

Despite his growing annoyance, he could only chuckle.

"Kyoko, how did you not become a spy during all those wars? You've been around long enough."

Kyoko managed to get one of the birds to land on her finger.

"My dear boy," she said, watching the bird preen itself, "part of my gift is knowing when to be seen and when not to. How I lived to be as old as I am is I learned to tell the difference."

Akito yawned. The warmth out here was making him very sleepy.

"Why don't you go and lie down for a little bit?"

"Let me know if anything happens. I didn't sleep very well last night."

"The nightmares again?"

"Yes."

"If you're going to ask how I knew that, I could hear you shouting in your sleep."

Akito tugged his robe farther up on his shoulders. He hoped he didn't lose too much more weight or he'd disappear. It seemed that he stayed the same size no matter how little or much he ate. He wasn't an emotional or affectionate man, but he paused to touch Kyoko's shoulder on the way in. She smiled, watching him go.

_He's changing whether he wants to or not,_ she thought.

When Akito woke, the exhaustion was gone, but the light was also gone with it. The world had turned silvery again. A noisy burst of thunder made him jump. Moving quickly, he staggered up from the bed and closed the window. Just before he did, he got a face-full of chilling wind and driving rain drops. Breathing heavily, he leaned against the wall for support. What was with these storms coming out of nowhere lately?! He used the sleeve of his robe to wipe his face off.

There was a knock at the door. It was very quiet, very cautious. Akito blinked, recognizing the knock at once and hurried to open the door.

Hatori stood there. Both arms were in splints and he was leaning on crutches, but the awful bruises on his face were fading. Akito stepped aside to let him in.

"I thought of sending Shigure to tell you we'd come home," Hatori told him, "but I decided that we should be the ones to tell you."

Akito looked past him into the hall.

"Where's that wretched girl?" he asked.

"That wretched girl is in her room putting her things away," he said, half-joking, "she was a little tired out by the walk inside."

Akito examined the braces.

"They're just precautions," Hatori assured him, "they believe the fractures have almost healed. They've never seen anything like it, broken bones healing within a matter of days like this. They've apparently had a few other unexplained medical anomalies there, too."

"Melody," Akito guessed.

"Melody," Hatori confirmed.

Akito moved very carefully. Not knowing if Hatori's ribs were still damaged or not, he cautiously slid his arms around them. Hatori was so tall that his head only came to Hatori's chest. His touch was feather-light and so careful that Hatori may as well have been hugged by the wind. It was the first time he could remember Akito hugging anyone. By the time Melody happened to show up, Hatori was returning the hug. Grinning, she stealthily made her way back to her own room. He would find her soon enough—this was a moment she'd worked very hard to help with and didn't want to wreck it. Akito might freeze up if he knew that he and Hatori weren't alone.

"I'm glad you're all right," Akito confessed, "I never thought I'd see you on the other side of it."

"Me, either," Hatori admitted, "but all's well that ends well."

Melody had put all the clothes back in the suitcase. Despite knowing they'd probably end up all over the place again, she didn't feel like tripping over them tonight. Once that was done, she settled back on her bed to take a breather. Every little thing exhausted her, but she'd regain her strength eventually. There were dark shadows under her eyes and she was tired of everyone else telling her how tired she looked. She was still brittle-thin, but she knew it would pass. Her face would fill out and her hips would regain their fullness that she was famous for. She was somehow glad she'd gone with a dress today because her jeans wouldn't stay pulled up. Then, she looked in the mirror.

"Ugh…"

Why she suddenly felt bothered by her hair, she did not understand. It was always a mess—it was curly and the wind was always blowing. Today, it seemed extra messy, though, and she struggled to tame it with her brush. She was nearly done when someone knocked on the door.

"Uh…come in!" she pitched the brush into the suitcase. It bounced and landed on the wooden floor with a clatter just as the door slid open. The dark Sohma leader stepped in just as a flash of lightning illuminated the room. Melody burst into a laughter so deep that it shook her all over and made her ribs hurt.

"What's funny?"

Akito didn't like being laughed at. Every time she would start to calm down, she'd start laughing all over again. Finally, she wiped her eyes and said, "It was the timing…it was like one of those cheesy old American horror movies."

The only noticeable reaction she got was a twitch.

"One of these days I'll have to show you," she said, "American horror movies aren't nearly as good in general as the Japanese ones—they usually just end up making me laugh, especially the older ones. There's a thing they do where every time the bad guy comes in, there's a flash of lightning and a big clap of thunder just like what happened a second ago."

There was that smile, that very unsettling smile.

"Am I the bad guy?"

Uh-oh…it was a trick question. Melody examined him up and down.

"Well…"

When his gaze darkened, she laughed again.

"I'm_ kidding_, Akito. Don't take everything so seriously."

She rose from the bed. The slight stagger, the bagginess of the waist-area in her dress wasn't lost on him. Compared to her pale flesh, the red-and-white floral pattern seemed entirely too loud. The dress showed off her shoulders well and he could actually make out the extra bones Hatori was talking about. She had gone to look out the window at the storm. Rain was coming down so hard that it was hard to see more than a few feet.

"Whew! I'm glad we beat this," she admitted, "I was sure it was going to give us a good soaking before we made it to the door."

Before he really thought about what he was doing, Akito's fingertips traced the hard ridges on her back. They began just level with her shoulder blades and went all the way to the small of her back in a \ / shape. The chill-bumps rose on her arms and he noticed it almost immediately.

"Do I make you nervous?" he asked, half-taunting her the way he had Tohru.

"Your fingers are cold," she answered truthfully.

"So it's true. You are what they say you are."

The effect of rain dripping down the glass was hypnotic.

"What do they say I am?" she asked finally.

"That you're an angel."

His voice was as smooth and cool as the glass she was staring through, but the words sounded ridiculous to him when they came out. He waited for her to laugh, to tell him not to believe such outlandish fairy tales. But she didn't.

"And what do you think?" she asked. Their faint reflections in the glass were transparent, like ghosts. Though she wasn't looking at him, she did meet his eyes in the window.

His hands were still on her shoulders, she noticed.

"I don't know," he said quietly.

There was a particularly bright blast of lightning; it was so bright that it blinded them for a moment. Thunder cracked through the house, shaking it violently, and deafening and scaring everyone. The lights flickered and went out. The whole place was filled with screams and shouts of fear and surprise.

Akito sighed. The moment was broken.

"Well, that's just great!"

Melody had turned to face him. This light flattered her much better; she didn't look so gaunt and washed out when the silvery cast washed across her face.

"I don't suppose you can do anything about this," he half-asked.

"I don't know anything about electricity except that it comes out of the walls," she said truthfully, "my department is healing."

"Well, let's go find some flashlights," he muttered.

"Is everybody up here all right?" Shigure called. They could see the pool of light in the floor where his flashlight beam was landing.

"Fine," Akito ground out. Storms made him nervous. He felt Melody's hand grasp his and turned to look at her.

"What's wrong with you? It's just a storm!" he snapped.

"Sorry," she whispered. It had been a childish impulse. Melody reluctantly released her grip on him. The moisture in her palm didn't go unnoticed. He wiped his hand on the side of his robe and they went to get the flashlights from Shigure.

"It looks like we're in for a rough night," he informed them, "now that you have your flashlights, I'm going to give Hatori a hand."

The only sounds for a little while were the wind and the rain beating against the windows. Melody flinched when another loud clap of thunder came.

"Remember our little deal at the hospital?" Akito asked her.

"Yes," she said shakily, "I remember."

"Well, you're going to make good on it. It's freezing in this house and I want a hot drink."

"Oh…all right."

"Specifically, I want coffee the way you make it."

"You've never had my coffee."

"That was the point of me asking," he said impatiently. Coffee always tasted bitter to him, but the smell that was usually cloying out of her cup was similar to a liquefied candy bar. He'd smelled a different flavoring in there every single time. And the sugar roused his appetite in a way that nothing else did. What was the harm? He needed to put on some weight anyway.

"All right," she said reluctantly.

_I had to get her mind off the storm somehow. I don't want her clinging to me like a child. She looks a little older than I am! Disgraceful…_he thought, _just what kind of angel are you supposed to be if you're afraid of storms? It's different for me. I know I'm going to die. I can be afraid if I want to. But you…if you're so sure, why are you scared?_

"It seems silly," she said, as if answering his thoughts, "for me to be afraid of a thunderstorm. I'm not used to experiencing it with flesh on. There's so much that I can't get used to—the adrenaline rushes, the shakiness, the coldness in my limbs, the nervous tummy. I've only been fleshed a very small percentage of my life and I don't think I'll ever get used to it."

"Then why bother?" Akito asked. He was thinking of what a nuisance his own body was to him.

"Because that's what Father wanted," Melody said, "I could have easily come down here on my own without flesh. I've done it before. But he wanted me to be solid. He knew you'd need to see and hear and touch me to believe. He always chooses the way that makes the most sense to the human, but even then it isn't always clear. I once knew a little girl who heard the story of Noah's ark—the earth was flooded and it was just that man, his family, and all these animals in a big boat while the whole world was covered in sea-deep water. After the world was made new again, God put a rainbow in the sky as a promise that he wouldn't flood the world again. It was a new beginning. The little girl and her mother were in the car coming from a very bad storm and she saw a rainbow. She asked her mother if God was talking to her right then and her mother said yes, He probably was. That was his way of speaking to her. Another person I knew was homeless and his favorite food was peaches. He asked God for food and a man pulled up his truck beside him and asked if he'd like a peach. There are a lot of others."

"It sounds too random, like too many coincidences," Akito muttered.

"Funny you should say that," Melody replied as they reached the kitchen, "you've had a number of them yourself recently."

She retrieved two cups and poured the still-hot coffee into them. He watched her stirring in flavored creamer and sugar. She also found a ginger shaker in the cabinet and sprinkled a few of the gold flecks of powdered stuff in them both.

"Ginger's good for warming up," she explained, "I only put a little in so you'll hardly taste it, but it'll get you warm."

She gave him the cup and clicked hers against it. He was grateful that she'd stopped talking for a moment. When Melody got into one of her long-winded explanations, she seemed as if she could go on forever. He tasted his own coffee and was surprised that there was no bitterness. He hadn't put enough sugar in, probably. It felt good going down. Once the warmth hit his stomach, it seemed to spread. He'd watched her while she was working and supposed he could replicate it next time if need be.

"Sounds like it's slowing down," she pointed out after a moment. The storm wasn't as severe anymore.

"Something smells good in here," Shigure said. Melody felt sorry for him immediately—he was soaked to the skin.

"Would you like some coffee after you get dry?" she asked.

"I would, as long as there's enough to go around."

"Oh, there's enough!" Melody said, grinning.

"I want some!" a little girl tugged at her sleeve.

"Oh, you do, do you? Of course."

Akito saw her mother open her mouth to object, but Melody gave her a secretive wink. She had produced another tub of coffee grounds. Akito could just make out the word "de-caffeinated" on the side. The mother seemed okay with that and nodded.

"All right, you can have a little," she told her daughter, "what do you say?"

"Thank you, Melody!"

After a while, it started to get crowded. More and more people had gotten the same idea and the cooks were coming in to start dinner.

"Why don't we find somewhere else to hang out? Maybe that nice dining room," Melody suggested, "I have an idea."

She left while all the talking relatives flowed into the dining room. Akito remained at the edge of the crowd, watching them all. They were all a bit on edge with him here, all very carefully controlling their words. Ordinarily, he'd have liked it. Today, however, it made him feel like a pariah. He wished he could be as comfortable with all the others as Melody was. Deciding that it might be best to just go back to his room, he started to slip out. He could make himself nearly invisible if he chose to.

"Where are you going?" Melody asked as she re-entered the room.

"Away from this crowd," he muttered.

"Why? Don't you ever spend time with your family?" she asked.

"Of course I do."

He didn't want to tell her that the only time he ever saw them was when he was chewing them out or punishing them for their perceived misdeeds. He didn't want to mention that the only time he ever attempted to do anything social with them was on New Year's.

"Aw, come on! I have a game for us to play. It'll be fun!"

He was on the verge of telling her no, but then gave in. It was too dark to see anywhere else in the house and far too stormy to go outside. All he could really do if he went off on his own was sleep and he wasn't the least bit tired with that ridiculously sugary coffee she'd given him. Against his better judgment, he followed her back in.

"So, who wants to play Uno Attack with us?"

He heard whispers along the lines of "Akito's actually going to play a game with us?" He knew what they were thinking. What would happen if he lost? What if he threw one of his infamous tantrums?

"I'll play with you! Yuki was telling me about this yesterday!" Momiji chimed in.

"I want to," Kisa said quietly. She looked over at Hiro.

"Oh, no," he objected, "I am NOT playing some stupid kid's game!"

Kisa looked up at him with her big, bright, tawny eyes. He sighed.

"Fine. You owe me later," he muttered. Akito couldn't help but grin just a little. Kisa had him wrapped around her little finger.

"Okay, that's five so far," she said, "the more we get in on this, the more fun it will be! Any more takers at all?"

"I will," Tohru volunteered.

"We have six, six, do I hear seven?" Melody asked in the style of an auctioneer.

"I wouldn't mind," Ayame chimed in, "I can't sketch with all this lightning and thunder breaking my concentration."

"All right, we have SEVEN! Eight, eight, do I hear eight?" Melody called, "This game takes up to eight players."

"I was planning to work in the garden today," Kyoko said, "but I don't think it's going to happen unless I want to go swimming. I'll be the eighth if you would like."

Now they were _really_ talking. Melody gestured to a big table where they could all reach the machine comfortably and started shuffling the cards. She made a face when they went flying out of her hand.

"Oh, crudbuckets! I never have managed to do it right," she sighed, gathering them all up again. Everyone chuckled uncomfortably. Akito wished people would stop looking sideways at him.

"All right, everyone starts with seven cards," Melody said, doling them out, "make sure you have the right number. Akito, you're in charge of the place, so you may go first."

She explained the rules of the game to them and placed the starter card in the tray. One by one, they lapped the table. Shigure was the first to have to press the button. Everyone laughed when three cards shot out.

"This machine hates me," he announced melodramatically. Akito wondered why he had to get stuck between him and Melody. To make matters worse, Ayame and Shigure were right next to each other and they usually kept each other going.

"Ooh….Ayame, you shouldn't have changed the color," Melody lamented, "cause now I have to do something very not nice."

The infamous "x?" card landed in the tray. Everyone suddenly went dead silent. Akito had to press the button three or four times to get the cards to come out and a lot of them came when it finally happened. Gathering them all up, he gave Melody a Look.

"Just remember, what goes around will Oventually come around."

The others exchanged uneasy glances. Only Shigure and Kyoko seemed completely at ease with the situation. Akito thumbed through his enormous pile of cards, trying to figure out how he could put the game back in his favor. It was unfortunate that most of what he'd drawn were number cards.

Kyoko drew a "trade" card and made Ayame trade with her. The way he went on, Akito mused, you would think she was asking for an internal organ or something equally valuable. Melody then played her trade card and took the measly three cards. Somebody reversed the direction. It wasn't until they'd had to shuffle the cards in the tray and put them back in the machine that things finally began to turn around. Melody was down to only one card when he finally got her back.

"You're up to something, aren't you?" she asked, seeing his nasty little grin.

"You could say that. What do you call this one? Was it the 'Gimme card'?"

He yanked it out of her hand and gave her his pile of cards. When he finally saw what it was, he scowled. Melody giggled.

"Joke's on you," she said playfully, "there was a reason I couldn't get rid of that card."

The color up to that point had been blue. Akito had never been so sick of blue and the card he was holding was a green one. Kisa played her last card and won the game.

"Way to go, Kisa!" Melody congratulated her. Akito could feel all their awkward stares. Despite being disappointed that he didn't win and that Melody had actively been trying to sabotage him, he wanted to show them he still had some grace left.

"Yes," he agreed, "good job. I'll bet you can't do it again."

"Who wants to help me shuffle?" Melody asked.

They played for a long time. Dinner put a hiatus on their marathon, but they soon picked it back up after the dishes were cleared. Probably for the first time since they could remember, Akito stayed with them and didn't go hole up in his room. When a few of them got tired, they switched out players. Even Hatori got coaxed into one game by Melody, but he did it less from her asking and more from actually seeing Akito smile for a change. The generator had been started a long time ago, but no one actually noticed beyond the lights coming on. They paid it no mind.

Somehow, Yuki found himself roped into a game as well. Kyo ended up being talked into it by Tohru and she was sandwiched between them. He was still nervous about being around Akito, but Melody sat between them, so it helped. Both of them started to relax a little bit. Somehow, having Melody there, pale and frail as she was, made them feel safer.

"You did that on purpose, you damn rat!" Kyo objected when Yuki gave him a x2 card.

"It was all I had," Yuki said quietly.

"That's the point of the game," Hiro said, "what good is it if you don't sabotage somebody?"

He made a face when Akito gave him an x? card.

"Yeah, what fun is it?" he said mockingly.

"You better hope this thing doesn't reverse," Hiro said boldly. Just to see what would happen, Haru played a reverse card. Despite knowing it would never really make a difference, it felt good to get back at Akito, even if it was just in a card game. Hiro played a x2 card and the machine jetted out cards both times. Akito looked so surprised that they all cracked up laughing. Melody was laughing so hard that she was half-lying on the table, tears trickling out. She was laughing so hard that she made no sound. And somehow, it was very contagious.

"What's the matter, Melody? No words of wisdom for this?" he asked. Despite having such a huge setback, he ended up winning that game. It was well past midnight when they finally put all the cards away. The children had been made to go to bed a couple of hours ago at least and all the players were adults. There was no fighting, no uneasiness, and no tantrums over losing. None of them could remember when they'd all had such a good time, especially not with Akito. Akito himself felt very sore in the rib and gut region because he'd had a few laughs of his own at Melody's expense. It felt nice just to put that infuriating angel girl in her place. The storm was dying down a little bit and it felt like heaven to slide between the sheets. Somehow, knowing she was just across the hall and Hatori was a little ways down it helped him sleep better than he had in years.


	10. Chapter 10

When Akito woke the next morning, he heard a number of things. Singing, for one. Faint echoes of music flowed from across the hall. His first instinct was to clench the pillow down over his head. He didn't, however. There were others talking as the house woke up. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up and looked. The sky was clear and blue and the air was cool and damp. Pulling on his signature red robes, he went to see what the silly girl was so happy about. The door to her room was partially open, so he didn't have any qualms about sliding it back the rest of the way. Melody had a violin tucked under her chin. She paused when she saw Akito.

"Good morning," she said pleasantly. Today, she wore a dress almost identical to the one she had on yesterday, but this one had dark blue flowers. Somehow, it seemed more fitting for her than the garish red.

"You woke me with all that noise," he said grouchily, "what are you so happy about, anyway?"

She gestured to the door that opened to the garden.

"Well, this for starters. The weather reports said that the storm would continue," she answered, "aren't you glad it's over?"

He walked across the room to look out. Then, he noticed something. There was an enormous tree laying in the middle of what used to be known as the Cat's Room. Melody saw his shoulders go rigid and gently laid the violin down on her bed. She got up to see what was stressing him out so much.

"Oh…I didn't notice that earlier," she said sympathetically, "was it important?"

"Yes, it was important. It's the Cat's Room," he growled.

"The Cat's Room? What's it for?"

"It's where the cat must live."

Melody ventured out closer to it, Akito following her.

"Ugh…it doesn't look very nice," she answered, "with these big bars over the windows."

"That's because it's a punishment."

She stared at him with wide eyes.

"For being born in the Year of the Cat?"

He gave her a nasty little grin. She was finally starting to understand.

"Among other things," he said sinisterly, "like when someone disobeys me."

She stared.

"You lock them up for that?"

Looking back at the room, Melody shuddered. She felt so much hatred, so much darkness and fear emitting from that place.

"Don't you think that's a little bit cruel?" she asked him finally.

"Not really," he answered, "a little time in the room is far more desirable than some of the other things that could happen."

She looked at him, horrified.

"That dream I had….it wasn't a dream, was it? About Yuki."

His silence told her everything. All around them, birds were chirping and a light breeze was blowing. People were talking and there was the distant sound of dishes clattering. The smell of food began to join the scent of rain and flowers. But somehow, none of these things could reach them.

"You hurt him," Melody said finally, her eyes glittering with tears, "you've hurt all of them."

Her head bowed and her eyes closed.

Akito didn't know what to say. The girl was a damn nuisance. Hatori's memory-wiping hadn't worked on her and she was always around no matter what. She'd saved Hatori's life for sure and had probably saved his, too. If he wasn't mistaken, she'd also saved Yuki's. But she was always so ridiculously emotional.

"Are you really that surprised?! If you'd been hanging around me as much before as you say you were, you'd have seen it for yourself! I'm the god here, it's my job to keep this zoo in line! Who else is going to?!"

His dark-sapphire eyes burned with anger. He'd grabbed her by the shoulders and given her a sound shaking.

"You've been in there, too, haven't you?" she asked quietly.

Akito shoved her so hard that she fell on her butt in the wet grass. She shakily stood and stepped forward again.

"What happened in there, Akito? You can tell me."

"No!"

Melody never took her eyes off of his. Despite the absolute murderous fury there, she saw it masking the fear and the hurt.

"If you can't tell me, then show me," she said firmly. Somehow, he knew in his heart what was going to happen when she grabbed his hands and he struggled to try and get out of her grip, but it didn't work. There was a flash of light and the two of them were standing, ghostlike, outside the now intact room.

"Come on," Melody said grimly, pulling him towards it. Though they were both transparent, almost nothing more than shadows, she felt solid enough. She stepped through the wall and dragged him in. Akito still fought her, but he was no match for the angel's odd strength. It was a disconcerting feeling to have solid walls passing through his body.

The door burst open and Ren dragged a child Akito into the room. She also hauled Yuki inside. Child-Akito's nose was bleeding, a result from an accident they'd had while playing.

"Don't hurt us, Mom, it was an accident!" Akito plead with her.

"He still hurt you," Ren said coldly, "and he must be punished."

Child-Yuki had flattened himself up against the wall. Tears streamed out of his violet eyes as he trembled and waited for what was to come.

"No," Akito refused.

"If you let him get away with this, he will get away with it again. And again. And then he will eventually kill you. The rat is cunning, Akito. You must force it into submission."

Ren pressed the whip into his small hand. Child-Akito looked down at it as if it were a poisonous snake. Then, he dropped it.

Grown Akito had turned away. Melody placed her hand on his shoulder.

"I suppose it's up to me to show you how things are done," Ren told him, "your father was easily weakened by such things. He's let all of them have free reign for far too long. But now, you will learn. In return for refusing to punish that rat, you will have punishment in his stead."

She stripped away his robes until he was only in his underclothes. Then, breathing raggedly, she swung her arm. The lash cracked sickeningly and a line of blood appeared on child-Akito's back. Yuki hid his hands in his face, sobbing. He didn't look to be more than three or four years old. Akito willed himself not to cry, but it didn't happen. Shaking from pain and tears, he lay face-down in the floor when his arms and legs would no longer support him.

"There," Ren said, wiping the sweat from her brow, "now you know your place. Each time you fail to deal with them, you bring pain on yourself. You will both stay in here for a while and think it over."

Grown-Akito looked down at his childlike self, pale and ill. Child-Akito was still crying quietly. Little Yuki finally slowly crawled over to him to comfort him when child-Akito slapped him away.

"Don't touch me! I hate you! This is all your fault!" Child-Akito shouted. When he looked at Yuki, his eyes burned darkly. It was the look everyone would come to know in time. The faulty lesson had been learned, sealed into his head.

"Akito…it was an accident…you said—"

"NEVER MIND WHAT I SAID!"

Child-Akito's voice was shrill and hoarse. They faded only for more rushed images to come and go. As if his life were a tape being played on fast-forward, Akito saw every person he had locked up in here and every person he had hurt. Soon, they were back up to present day.

Akito looked around. The green foliage of the tree seemed obscenely bright against the darkness. Shafts of sunlight pierced the broken roof and walls. He was breathing hard as if he'd just run a race.

"I want to show you something else," Melody said quietly, "one of my memories of another man who landed in the same predicament as you did. But he took a very different path."

Akito didn't fight her this time; he knew it would do no good. In a flash, they were somewhere far away. The powdery sand was hot under his bare feet and the wind was scorching. Just a few paces away, there was a man tied to a post. Blood trickled down his body and he'd been beaten so badly that his face was swollen and his features were distorted. Soldiers took turns pounding on him and the sound that their various weapons made against his flesh made Akito nauseated. He saw them untie him when his knees began to buckle.

"Who is he?" Akito asked Melody.

"You'll see," she answered.

Akito didn't want to watch. Somehow, the torture of this man was worse than seeing his own mother beating on him. A grim realization hit him with a sickening jolt as someone placed a crown of thorns on the man's head.

"It can't be…" he protested.

"It is," Melody said grimly.

They followed the man on his journey and watched him bear the cruel thing that would be his killer. They watched the skies darken as the man lifted his eyes skyward. Though there was far too much noise to hear what he said, Akito somehow knew, for the words resonated inside his mind.

"Forgive them, Father," he gasped, "they know not what they do."

Then, he drew his last breath and sagged against the wooden cross. Akito felt something very scary just then. It was as if a very chilling wind had just rushed by, something dark and sinister, only it somehow couldn't really touch them. The desert faded back into the damaged Cat's Room. Akito was a little surprised to find that his vision was blurring. When he wiped his hand across his face, he felt wetness on the back of his palm.

"He was mocked, and accused for things he didn't do," Melody told him, "people made fun of him and outright scorned him for telling the truth, just as your mother did to you. But he never took it out on others. Instead, he chose the path that no one else would take. He freed all the humans from being enslaved to ridiculous laws they couldn't keep and all these rituals and everything else. He freed you, Akito, if only you would see it. Humans aren't meant to be gods and that's why there's only one God."

She saw the shock, the tears, the pain, all of the indicators that he was just a man rapidly disappearing behind a mask of coldness. The tears were drying, freezing to ice on his heart.

"And if I did? Nothing would change," he said icily, "I would still have to find some way to make all of this work. I would still be dying. And your 'God' would still let me suffer. Why not just keep the curse from existing in the first place? Why let all this happen if he loves me that much?!"

"Because he doesn't want robots, Akito. He loves us enough to let us fall on our butts and in some cases, our faces. He's showing you right now that you still have a choice. You don't have to let any of this control your life. You don't have to let what your mother did control your life."

"STOP TALKING ABOUT THINGS YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT!" he exploded. Melody winced. He was breathing raggedly, tremors racing through his body. His blood pressure had spiked—there were hot red patches on his cheeks. She swallowed hard as he moved closer to her and grabbed her by the jaw.

"Not another word," he hissed, "unless it's to ask my forgiveness."

She gently placed her hand over his and slowly but steadily pried it loose. Being touched made him lose his cool completely and he struck her once, twice, three times. Blood trickled out of her mouth where the edges of her teeth caught her lip. Her back struck the wall of the Cat's Room, knocking the air out of her lungs in a whoosh. He stayed where he was, still breathing hard.

Melody looked back up at him, gingerly touching her injured jaw.

"Well? Do you feel like a man now?" she asked boldly, "Do you feel better now that you've hit someone that was only trying to help you?"

"How in the Hell can you say that was helping me?!" he snapped.

She spat out a mouthful of blood, missing his foot by an inch.

"Because I've shown you the path you've taken versus one much less traveled," she answered, fighting back reflex tears of pain. It was really beginning to sting.

"You say you're God. Okay, maybe a part of you really believes that. But I can tell you right now that you have no idea what it's like to be Him."

She walked away, leaving him there. For the first time, he felt no satisfaction in knowing he'd hurt someone who had defied him. He could still feel her soft, warm flesh yielding to his strike and it made his stomach turn. It had hurt; he knew she'd never be able to deny that believably in a hundred years. She'd been very brave, though…it was very bewildering. She'd seen him at his weakest. She'd seen something that had scarred him badly and it was driving him crazy. Akito had always hated appearing weak. Despite the usual two robes, he felt completely naked standing there in the dewy grass and the sunshine.

"Melody, why won't you look at me?" Hatori asked when the girl showed up for work, but kept her head down. When he placed his hand under her chin to guide her face up, she winced. His expression darkened.

"Let me get you something for the pain," he said quietly.

"Nothing too heavy," she answered dully.

He shook two tablets into her palm and she gulped them without bothering to go and get water.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," she replied evasively, "I just have to watch where I'm going from now on."

Akito was just around the corner when he heard that. Her voice took on an almost stony quality when she said it; she was just as determined as him not to show pain.

"Perhaps now would be a good time for you to take your vacation," Hatori told her, "you weren't even supposed to be here today."

"I like to keep busy," she answered, "all this doing nothing has been making me crazy."

Akito made his presence known then.

"Ah, there you are. I know there are other things on your mind besides your check-ups," Hatori said to him.

_Hmmmm….is that a note of disapproval I hear? And your expression is, dare I say it, frosty…_

Melody's jaw was beginning to swell and show signs of inflammation. He wondered why she didn't just heal herself and get it over with. She took down all numbers on the clipboard and gave no indication that anything had even happened this morning. Somehow, that made him more upset. There was a part of him that wanted her to snap at him, to somehow fight with him if she wasn't going to cower in fear. He wanted a reason. Adrenaline was still tracing his veins, making his heart rate and blood pressure higher than normal. He was itching for a fight and both of them knew it. Hatori watched them both warily, wondering what would actually happen. The tension in the air was bad, but nothing came of it. After the checkup was over and some kid came in for stitches, Akito left.

"Why don't you heal yourself?" Hatori finally asked her. The kid left with a partially-healed wound and the stitches in until tomorrow just as a precaution thanks to her skills.

"It doesn't work that way," she told him, "I'm not really allowed. Besides, all he did was bruise me up a little. I've seriously had a lot worse than that from others I tried to help. I really couldn't tell you now because my memory fails me, but I do know I've had worse."

She stroked her discolored cheek tenderly.

"The truth is that I'm glad I don't remember," she admitted, "it makes it easier to get along. The hardest part of being human is that you remember the things that hurt you and make you afraid much more than the good stuff."

Hatori nodded understandingly.

When it was time for her to stop work for the day, Melody simply requested dinner in her room. She didn't really want to see anyone when she was like this. It wasn't her face—it was her heart. She felt strangely broody tonight and she couldn't explain why. It really bothered her that she could feel so discontent when there was a beautiful sunset just outside. The Big Man Upstairs, as she affectionately referred to Father sometimes, had painted another masterpiece in the sky with the pinks, golds, reds, oranges, and aquas. As she devoured her rice, she tried to focus on the colors and not on how upset Akito had made her. As with all human emotions, it still bothered her more than she would have liked. She hated the idea of anyone being angry with her, especially when they were wrong. Laying her Bible open in front of her, she sighed impatiently. The Ancient Language that the humans had long forgotten was there. Just a few days ago, she could still read it easily. Now, she had to puzzle out the spellings and words as if they were foreign to her. Reading out loud helped, though not as much as she would have liked. The sun went down while she was trying to find something to help her out in this situation. Sitting with the small desk lamp pouring a pool of yellow light over her hands and the book, she saw the words smear together and a drop of water pelted the page.

"What am I going to do, Father? I've been here nearly three weeks now and I just can't get through to that man…he's even seen you and still he doesn't believe. I just…I don't mean to be impatient, but I'm afraid. I know that creature we saw in the hallway that night was just the beginning."

She rested her head against her arm.

"He said it out loud. He knows what I am…and yet he struck me."

Angels were powerful beings. With the power that God gave them, they could destroy entire cities. They could bring rain, drought, disease, and disaster down on humans. But they rarely did so. They rarely even thought about it.

"I….I'm afraid," she said again, her voice breaking, "…I'm afraid I might be making things worse...I don't know what to do and I miss you. I miss your voice telling me what to do and your eyes…I miss home even though I can't really remember it. I only remember the peace that was there…"

She lay her head down on her arm. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks and she shook silently. There was a knock at the door.

"C-come in," she sputtered weakly, though she wasn't in the mood for company. The door slid open. She blinked a couple of times to clear her vision. The dark-eyed dark-haired girl who stood before her was one she'd seen many times in the hospital wing. Melody had attempted to talk to her several times, but she didn't seem to want to be friends. It was surprising now that Isuzu Sohma stood in the middle of her bedroom. Behind her was chocolate-haired Kagura.

"If you had any brains whatsoever, you'd have left by now," Isuzu told her.

Melody wiped her face.

"Do you really think he's going to change? We've all gotten the wrong side of his fist at least once," she continued.

Melody bowed her head. She didn't want to hear anymore. Kagura placed her hand on Isuzu's shoulder.

"Isuzu," she said gently, "shouldn't we—"

"I'm not done," Isuzu said sharply. She shrugged away Kagura's hand.

"Look at me," Isuzu said irritably. Melody did.

"Go wash those big green eyes of yours and stop leaking your sweet little tears everywhere," she said firmly, "and when you're done, we're getting out of here."

"But—"

"We're getting you the Hell away from this place just for a little bit. If Akito has anything to say, well, we'll tell him it's my fault. He hates me anyway."

Melody trembled.

"He's already mad," she said, "I don't want him doing anything to anyone."

"I'm not scared of him. Now hurry up."

Melody gently washed her puffy red eyes and blew her nose. She couldn't cry like the movie stars where it was just one or two little tears and that was it. She was a messy crier. Not sure where they were going, she brushed her frizzing hair as well. Convinced that she was in slightly better shape, she went on shaky legs back to the other girls.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"You'll see."

Isuzu rushed them out to the car. She didn't really want Akito knowing she was here, as her meetings with him usually went badly. The familiar feel of stomach acid eating up her insides was there, but she ignored it as she so often did. Melody let out a squeal of surprise when they peeled out of the gate and sprayed dust everywhere.

"I saw what he did," Isuzu told her, "and even though the curse says we can't blame him, I do. I know wrong when I see it. I just happened to be on my way out from Hatori's when you were out there with him. Since you've helped me, I'm going to help you."

Melody smiled faintly.

"You don't have to-"

"Shut up."

"….Okay…"

She turned on the radio. The song that was playing was a popular one, a happy bouncy tune that had all three girls singing in no time. Melody was starting to feel a little bit better. The wind whipped through her shoulder-length hair and Isuzu's short hair and the night sky was easy on the eyes with its millions of stars. Before long, the city spread out before them in a shimmering blanket of light. Their first stop was an ice cream store.

"It's the only thing she can eat without pain," Kagura told Melody, "since she always has ulcers."

Melody nodded in understanding. One strawberry sundae later, they went to the movies. It was a romantic comedy and everyone had a lot of laughs. In the dark, cool theater, it was easy to forget how bad she'd felt earlier. Despite not being able to eat much, Isuzu brought back a big tub of popcorn. Melody remembered how when she did say anything, she usually snapped it. Underneath, however…

_It's like you told me once, Father, that a person's flesh doesn't always reveal their true nature, _she thought. She'd seen into Isuzu's memories and no more blamed her for her sometimes-cruelties than she blamed Akito for his. Seeing her give up her relationship with Haru just because she didn't want him bearing the brunt of Akito's wrath was heart-breaking. She never told Isuzu that she'd seen inside her mind, however, because she didn't want to make her upset.

It seemed as if they'd hardly sat down at all when the movie was over. The buttery saltiness of the popcorn lingered on Melody's tongue and she felt pleasantly sleepy. Standing up slowly and stretching, she asked, "What time is it?"

"It's nearly nine," Kagura said, "we'd better get home."

"Well, thank you both," Melody said gratefully, "I really do appreciate this."

She hugged them both after they dropped her off at the gate. Though Isuzu was very reluctant, she still did hug her out of her own free will, for Melody was about to walk away when she stopped her. Melody felt her thrust something papery into her hand before she got back in the car. She waved to them as they backed out. Then, she unrolled the paper.

_If you ever need to escape, here's our number: _(this was followed by the phone number). Melody crammed the paper into her shoe so that she wouldn't lose it. She felt somewhat reluctant to return to the Main House though the break had refreshed her spirit.

"Thanks, Father," she said to the sky. Father would always take care of her. At least she knew that much.

Akito was waiting for her by the door. He stood leaning there with his arms crossed and she didn't see him at first. When he moved, she nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Oh!"

She clutched her hand over her thundering heart.

"You scared me," she said in a scolding tone.

He emerged into the moonlight.

"Where were you?"

His voice had the same low, silky tone that it had taken on when he'd introduced himself to Tohru.

"With Kagura and Isuzu," she said truthfully, "they took me to a movie and for ice cream."

"Isuzu, hmmm? That's….unexpected."

She got the feeling that he was trying to find fault with her for some reason. Her feet grew cold and damp in her shoes.

"Yes…she never has much to say, but she turned out to be really nice," Melody told him.

"Were they the only ones with you?"

"Yeah. It was a small car," she told him, "I don't think we'd have been able to fit anyone else in there or we'd have been squashed together like puppies."

He circled her for a second.

"You were gone for nearly three hours," he pointed out.

"Yeah. I left right after dinner."

"Something could have happened in those three hours."

"Like what?"

His irritation was growing, she could see that.

"What if one of us needed you?"

Realization struck Melody in that moment.

"You were worried, weren't you?" she asked. A stony silence told her all she needed to know.

"You were worried about me when you couldn't find me," she said warmly, "that's so sweet."

"I was n—"

He didn't get it out, for her arms had gone around his middle. She hugged his slender frame so tightly that he heard something pop. With a rough push, he disengaged himself from her embrace.

"Even if you weren't worried about me," she said, "you were worried about someone else getting hurt. It's more than I'd hoped for."

He massaged his ribcage with a sour look. She'd probably bruised him the way it felt. For a second, she'd even had the gall to lift him off the ground.

"How did you know I was missing?" she finally asked.

"I went to your room and you weren't there," he answered, his tone implying that he thought she was a real simpleton for not figuring that out.

"Why'd you go in there?" she asked.

A cloud obscured the moon in that moment, causing his face to be thrown into shadow. For that, he was grateful. She couldn't see his face.

"I realized I was a little bit…hard on you…earlier."

He placed his hand on the still-tender place where he'd struck her. His touch was feather-light and his fingers were cool. Melody felt chill-bumps rise up on her arms.

"Does it hurt?" he asked reluctantly. There was genuine regret in his tone.

"Not much," she answered, "I forget that kind of stuff easily as much as I'm always tripping over things and banging into things."


	11. Chapter 11

This morning's soundtrack was a pensive piano track. Akito didn't understand the singer very well because he hadn't kept up with his English as well as he could have. He sat up in the bed listening. He caught the word "stay" several times. A male singer came in on the second verse with the female who'd sang the first one and they harmonized. Melody's voice sang along with both of them. As much as he hated to admit it, the girl put them both to shame. It was a short song and he actually wished it would have gone on a bit longer. The skies were pearl gray and harmless. The air was surprisingly warm and damp, creating a contrast with what he expected. The weather was like Melody herself. Just when he thought he knew, she'd figure out some way to surprise him.

He wasn't sure what he'd expected yesterday, but it definitely wasn't what he was used to. A lot of people cried when he struck them. A lot of them were fearful. Some might have even been angry. But Melody…Melody was actually defiant, which had made him angrier. She'd challenged him. She'd laid bare the hurt in her eyes, but she'd still made her disapproval known. That was the first blow—his rule only extended to everyone here. He couldn't touch her mind—he couldn't control her. In that one small questioning of whether striking her had made him feel like a man, she'd let him know that he couldn't rule her. In disappearing for three hours, she'd shown him that she could leave anytime she wanted and he couldn't stop her even if he tried. He'd gone to her room realizing what a grave mistake he'd probably made. For the first time in his life, he was aware he needed to apologize and try to fix things between them, but she'd been gone. Standing in the middle of the empty room, he felt legitimate worry creeping into his mind. Part of the curse was that the others had to live with him and support him no matter what, but he knew they'd be upset if he'd managed to run her off. They loved her and he knew it.

Akito had stood there looking at the colorful quilt on the bed, the messy array of clothes piled in her red suitcase, the laptop that was now password-locked. He'd sat there trying to get into it, to see if that would give him any indicators as to where she was. The error screen blinked almost mockingly at him. He closed it and put it back with a sigh. She'd actually done what he wanted and it was somehow infuriating. He paced the length of the room. Her book lay open on the table, the lamp still turned on. He examined it, wondering what on earth it said. It wasn't in any language that appeared familiar to him.

"Well, now what?" he had asked himself impatiently. He wanted to ask all the others if they'd seen her, but then they'd know. They'd know that he'd made a mistake…

Akito had no choice but to wait it out. It was hard, as he was not a patient man. Emotions came and went in turbulent gusts—first anger at her for doing such a thing and putting him through this. Fear that something had happened to her. Sadness over how she got relationships right every time and he couldn't seem to do it. Jealousy that people like her and Tohru existed in the first place. Finally, he'd gone out on the porch area that faced the gate. If she came back, she'd have no choice but to go through there and he'd know she was back. He waited in the shadows, itching for a fight. But when that car finally pulled up there and let her out, the fight somehow drained out of him. He was so tired…he was more tired in his head than physically. She had almost acted as if the events of this morning hadn't happened. She'd been distant from him this afternoon when he'd gone in to see Hatori and he sensed Hatori's irritation with him. Part of him couldn't blame him—Melody was doing most of the work since his movement was limited and he'd gone and bruised her face up. She wasn't supposed to be working and neither was Hatori, but they both seemed to need something to do. All because of him…

Then, something happened that he had not expected. That hug…she'd snared his very skinny frame and held it. No one had held him like that since Hatori and Kyoko since he was a young child. He hadn't allowed it when he was older. No woman had ever touched him since he was seven or eight, at least not like that. There had been a sharp contrast there—his body was hard and angular from being underweight. Hers was soft and rounded and the flesh had yielded as easily as a pillow. She was all softness and warmth and she smelled good, like lavender mixed with something else he didn't have a name for. They were the exact same height, so her cheek had brushed his as well. He was glad that they were in the dark where she couldn't see, but he'd felt the blood rising into his face, burning in the surface of his cheek as if it were rushing to meet hers. She'd squeezed him hard enough to mash all the blood into his face, that was for sure. It hadn't exactly hurt, but it had been unexpected and strange. Even as he thought about it now, the ghost of the pressure that her arms had made was still there. And….

A smile slowly spread over his lips. To anyone else, it was almost nonexistent, but the curve of his lips was noticeable to him.

He told himself that he was smiling because she'd forgiven him so easily, that he hadn't lost his healer and that the next time a porphyria attack came up that he wouldn't have to suffer. He told himself it was even because she alleviated the hours of boredom by coaxing him into participating in her silly games with the children or by talking or singing even when she didn't know he was listening. He grew wary when his pulse seemed to be going just a little bit faster.

Across the hall, Melody was going about getting ready for her day slowly. She'd had her laptop playing music while she bathed. Now content with how clean she was, she brushed her wet blue-black hair out and tucked a towel around her plump frame. The weight was coming back on, thank God, and she didn't look like a starving person. In fact, she was starting to feel better. She reluctantly touched the discoloration on the side of her face. While she didn't believe in makeup, she found it too distracting to leave the way it was. She dabbed the makeup on very carefully, only applying enough to cover the bruises. She did it so that the others would stop worrying. They had enough to think about as it was. She was nearly done when someone knocked. Lacking the usual fearfulness and worry of someone who'd been human for years, she slid it open fearlessly.

"Oh…hi Akito!"

One heartbeat, then another passed. The dark blue towel contrasted so strongly with her ivory-pink skin that it was hard not to notice just how much of it was uncovered. Her wet hair was still clinging close to her head and the back of her neck and sending little water droplets down around her shoulders.

"It's the middle of the morning," he finally ground out, "why aren't you dressed yet?"

"Well, Hatori told me I'm not really supposed to be working yet," she said, "he only let me in yesterday because he really needed a hand and that technically, I'm still supposed to be resting. I didn't see the need to hurry."

The towel had slid a little ways. She tugged it back up not with an air of self-consciousness, but with the air of slight annoyance.

"Did you need something?" she asked finally.

He crossed his arms over his chest, averting his gaze from her entirely.

"I wanted to show you something. Get some clothes on and don't take forever."

Finding his attitude a little strange, she shrugged.

"All right…be right out."

She closed the door behind her and tugged the towel loose. The thing was a nuisance to keep on for more than a few moments. Unknown to her, light was coming in from outside and it made a perfect silhouette on the door. Akito, unknowing that this would be the case, accidentally saw her uncovered silhouette. He felt the blood drain out of his face for a moment, then it came rushing back painfully. Deciding this was not a good place for him to wait for her, he returned to his own room.

"Shut up," he said irritably, thumping himself on the chest with his fist. His heart was thundering. It was the first time he'd ever seen a woman in that state of undress. The closest he'd ever come to that was seeing the other Sohma women in the hospital wing wearing those hospital gowns—and even then, they were much more modest compared to that towel. They were loose and longer than the regular gowns at the city hospital. You couldn't see anything with those—that damn towel wasn't long enough or wide enough. What had she been thinking, anyway? What if it had been any other man besides him? The thought made him furious. What if, actually, it had been Shigure? That damn dog would have his tongue hanging out and would have probably kept her talking.

This time, it was his door that received the knock. Melody was there, this time in a blue gauzy skirt that looked like something a fairy would wear and a matching blue shirt. She wore a white cap which contrasted sharply with her dark hair. Akito kept his gaze firmly on her face to keep from imagining the silhouette he knew to be under that innocent-looking outfit.

"Next time you answer the door, put a robe on first," he scolded her.

She giggled.

"What is it with humans and nakedness, anyway? It's so silly."

"Never mind. Come on."

He led her outside. Already, the noise had begun. Akito knew he wouldn't get any peace out here whatsoever for a while, but maybe it would somehow be worth the sacrifice. Construction workers were coming and going, hauling in equipment and hauling out debris. The others were gathering nearby, curious as to what they were doing. Shigure, Kyo, Tohru, and Yuki appeared at the edge of the crowd—all of them looked apprehensive.

"I wanted all of you to be here to see this," Akito said quietly, though he was easily heard over the noise for some reason.

"I don't understand," Tohru spoke up, "what exactly are we looking at?"

CRACK!

One of the walls of the Cat's Room crumbled, only yards away. It wasn't often that the construction workers got to tear stuff down, so they were having a grand time with this project.

"You're taking it down?! All right!" Melody exclaimed, "But why the sudden change?"

"It costs too much to rebuild," Akito said dismissively, "and I'm not above believing that these things happen for a reason."

Yuki was staring with wide eyes at the rapidly disintegrating structure. Kyo was as well. Side by side, for once, there was no pressure to fight constantly. Shigure had one hand on each shoulder, a serene smile on his face.

When Akito saw Melody turn to face him, he knew exactly what was going to happen. The odd thing was that he couldn't say he really minded. Everyone stared when she hugged him and some of their mouths dropped open. Even Hatori had shown up and his eyes widened visibly. Everyone waited for him to push her away, even strike her or shout at her. But he didn't. One hand awkwardly patted her back. The rest of his body had gone too rigid to fully return the pressure, but it was more than they'd ever seen him do. Melody had been the only one to witness him hugging Hatori; the others did not know about it. She released him, her cheeks pink.

"Thank you," she whispered.

It seemed backwards to Akito that deciding to tear down this room was so easy, but saying "I'm sorry for hitting you" was impossible. It appeared to be the only way he could get across what he wanted to say to her. She watched the destruction of something that had haunted their family for centuries with the most joyous expression he'd ever seen. Yuki managed a smile though one solitary tear escaped. It was a tear of relief, a tear of a nightmare that was ending. He wasn't sure if Akito would ever stop terrorizing him, but he'd never be shut up in that room again and neither would Kyo.

It was a few hours later. No one had eaten breakfast; they had all forgotten. The crowd had dispersed. After a while, only Melody and Akito remained.

"It's a nice day," she finally said, mashing her rumbling stomach in, "the weather's perfect for a picnic."

"With all this noise?" he asked, wondering how anyone could hear themselves think.

"Why not? It's the sound of a new beginning," she told him, "you have plenty to celebrate. You did the one thing that nobody else could bring themselves to do—you actually beat your father at something. Let's go!"

He realized with shock that she was right—not even Akira, as loving and kind as everyone said he had been, had kept from tearing down the Cat's Room. It was exciting and scary all at the same time. He had broken the pattern.

One of the cooks was loading up a basket for them. They were all things they could eat with their hands so that they wouldn't have to worry about dishes or chopsticks. A generous amount of pastries and sweets were included as well as two thermoses. One was full of tea, the other full of coffee. Melody found a big blanket to spread out over the grass and they found a shady spot.

"What's the real reason you're having it torn down?" Melody finally asked.

"It made me weak," he replied.

"How so?"

He busied himself with going through the basket's contents. Deciding the actual healthy food could wait for a moment, he crammed one of the pastries into his mouth so he wouldn't have to talk. Melody poured some of the coffee out of the thermos into her ever-present lidded cup.

"All right," she gave in, "you don't have to tell me yourself. Just let me know if I've guessed this right."

She tasted the coffee, then said, "You think it made you weak because every time you made somebody go in there, you remembered. You remembered how your mom made you feel like crap because you didn't want to hurt someone over something silly. It made you angry because she accused you of being weak. The more you'd clobber somebody around in there and imprison them, the more you'd hurt because it was like you were trying to prove to yourself that you weren't weak, that you could be hard on them if needed. But then, you saw how Tohru won them over and you panicked because you thought they were abandoning you."

It troubled him that someone who'd known him a little over two weeks could sum up about twenty-two years of his life in a few seconds. He swallowed, but had to chase the bite with some tea. The sweet, gooey cream-filled pastry seemed to be sticking in his throat.

"I always hated that room," he finally said, "most of my worst memories are in there. And I always told myself it had to be done. I'm not sorry to see it go."

Melody bit into an egg roll, relishing the warmth of the pork and cabbage filling. There was a taste of seaweed in there as well.

"So, what will you do with the space once it's completely gone?"

He shrugged.

"I don't know."

For the first time since she could remember, the wall had slid down just a little bit. Akito had let the tough-guy persona drop for now; it was almost as if they really were friends.

"Interesting," Melody said pensively.

"What is?"

"I've been seeing a lot of shadow," she said, "but now there's a little bit more light now than I thought I'd see at this time of day."

He glanced up. She was looking straight at him.

"I'm not one of your drawings," he said pointedly.

"No. Not yet."

"Don't even think about it."

"It's too late; I've thought about it. But I make it a rule never to draw anyone without their permission."

"Good."

He wasn't sure he wanted to know how she saw him. He faintly recalled her use of the word "beautiful" when they'd first met, but what would she see now that she'd born his anger? Dark shadows? A sinisterly sharp and hard set of strokes? Hard, black lines? That book she carried was full of beautiful things. It seemed almost criminal to muck it up now.

"I want to look at the book," he said when he'd finished eating. Vaguely surprised, she passed him the beat-up looking sketchbook. Making sure his hands were clean, he began to thumb through the pages. There were many portraits; they probably outnumbered anything else she'd drawn. There were a few objects and areas that she'd gotten entranced by as well. There were also sketches of things she couldn't possibly know about.

"I still have it," he said quietly, coming to the page where she'd drawn the diamond showing in the partway-open box.

It was her turn to drop the pretense.

"There's been a lot of sorrow over that box," she said, "nothing but emptiness inside, but I wanted you to have a real treasure in there."

Still looking down at the drawing, he asked, "Did you know him?"

Melody no longer saw a grown man sitting in front of her. When his eyes slowly panned up to look at her, they were a child's eyes. Akito had never actually gotten closure though his father had passed away many years ago—half a lifetime if not more.

"Heaven's a big place," she began, but Akito's gaze hardened.

"Yes or no?" he demanded impatiently.

"I did," Melody confessed, "I was there when he came up."

"And?"

"He was exactly as kind and caring as everyone said," Melody answered, "I don't remember much about our surroundings—Father doesn't let us carry that knowledge with us except for brief little glimpses, but I do remember his face. He was so sweet. You sort of resemble him. You wore your hair the same way and you were both really thin. The times you actually smile real smiles is when you look like him the most. He and Father talked a lot about you and he thanked Father for having what time he had with you."

"I knew his spirit wasn't really in that box," Akito said darkly, "I didn't want him to be there. If Heaven was real, that was where I wanted him to go. And yet, there was a part of me that wished I still had part of him in there to keep with me."

"You always will have," Melody said gently, "but you carry it inside you, not in a wooden box. The part of him that lives on is the kindness that you're showing all of us—letting me stay though you could have just had me thrown out or even arrested, you coming to get me when Hatori was hurt, you taking care of that hospital bill and not once taking advantage of me, and tearing down that horrible room. And letting Tohru stay with Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure."

"I didn't exactly let her," Akito started, but she interrupted him again.

"Yes, you did. You know yourself you could have made Hatori go through with that memory wipe, but you didn't. You chose to let her be there because she's made such a difference in everyone's life. There's a lot of good in you that you aren't seeing."

Melody crammed a rice ball into her mouth.

"How do you do that, anyway?" he asked when she finally swallowed.

"Do what?"

"Make everyone feel like they've known you forever."

"It's an angel thing. For us to be able to help others, we have to be good at gaining people's trust," she said, "we have to sometimes know them better than they know themselves. It's harder than it sounds. People don't like that and many of them react the same way you do sometimes."

"Do you blame me?"

"No. I don't."

He stretched out on his back. After all that food, he was getting sleepy. The sun chased away some of the shade as it grew warm overhead. The motion that the leaves made as the wind blew through them was hypnotic. The noise was dying down over at the almost-nonexistent Cat's Room, so it wasn't so hard to relax anymore. Akito's eyelids grew heavy and they soon shut before he realized he was getting so sleepy.

Melody leaned back against the tree and studied him. His fair skin smoothed when he was asleep, making him look younger than he was. The black hair fanned out around his head like a dark halo. Without the sickness taking its toll on him and making him look worn out, he seemed younger. He also wasn't wearing his usual robes, either—he wore a long-sleeved dark blue shirt and black pants, which showed how small and thin he really was. She disagreed with him, however. It didn't make him look weak at all. She remembered how soft his hair had been under her hand that first day, like a raven's wing. She didn't dare touch him now, though. It was more than just a simple case of the "food coma". She sensed Father's presence very strongly there as a light breeze blew by them and smiled.

_You can trust me,_ she thought, _I'll show you even if it takes a very long time. I want you to know that I'll watch over you as much as I can._

As tempted as she was to sketch him while he lay perfectly still, she didn't. She'd promised. Instead, she watched the soft rising and falling of his ribs and wondered if he was dreaming. She hoped they were good dreams. Very quietly, she put what was left over from lunch back into the basket. Then, she took up her sketchbook as she always did.

It was nearly an hour before he woke again. The light was taking on that soft golden tone and making the shadows soft and violet. He blinked against the brightness and wondered where exactly he was for a moment. Then, he heard the scratching of Melody's pencils and remembered. Vaguely surprised, he sat up and smoothed his hair down.

_I actually fell asleep outside…I never do that…_

A hazy contentment lingered even as he slowly grew more alert. The breeze was starting to cool just a little bit. He looked over at the construction site to see that the Cat's Room was completely gone and the last bits of debris were being hauled away. It was almost as if he'd woken up in another world.

"How long did I sleep for?" he asked, rubbing his eyes.

"An hour, maybe a little more," she answered truthfully.

"Why didn't you wake me?"

"What for? It's a nice day out here and no one came looking for us."

"You were here all this time?"

"Yep."

"Weren't you bored?"

Melody smiled.

"No. Not really. I can always find something to do."

She had, while he was asleep, stretched out on her side.

"Being impatient is only something mortals do," she explained, "and I do have to remind myself that I have all the time in the world sometimes, but all of you only have so many breaths. I don't know why anyone wastes them being impatient."

"Good for you," he muttered. He wasn't sure if she meant to criticize him or not, but she had no right to tell him anything about impatience when he was in charge of taking care of hundreds of people.

Melody suddenly frowned.

"What?"

He'd never seen her make that face before.

"Something's…off…" she answered, "I don't really know how to explain it. It's this weird little squirm in my tummy."

"How much of that sugary stuff did you eat?" he asked, half-teasing half-scolding.

"No, it's not that. I feel like something's going to happen…something bad…"

She closed her eyes for a moment, trying to figure out where it was coming from, but she saw nothing but a soft orange glow filtering through the skin on her eyelids.

"Maybe we should go check on everyone," she told him, "just in case."

But there was no need. At that very moment, Kisa's mother came sprinting outside.

"Have either of you seen Kisa? She's missing!"


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I want to caution you that this chapter has some near-rape in it. If this upsets you in any way, please skip this chapter and go to the next one.

Melody's heart had begun to pound.

"I'm sure she can't have gone far," she told her mother, "let's see if we can track her down. It might be a good idea to call Shigure's. Also, where are Haru and Hiro? I know she spends a lot of time with both of them."

She and Akito split up to find the two boys. Hiro, of course, was a hard case at first, but his attitude changed instantly when Melody told him that Kisa was missing.

"I haven't seen her all day," he confessed, "I thought it was weird that I couldn't find her, but I thought she might be sick or something."

Meanwhile, Akito had tracked down Haru.

"She isn't with me," he told him, "I haven't seen her since yesterday."

Hatori had called Shigure to ask if she was there.

"You're sure she isn't there? I know she was with you once when Tohru got her to speak again. Could you, Kyo, and Yuki please check the woods out there?"

Meanwhile, the rest of the Sohmas had spread out all over the property trying to track her down.

"Why aren't you out there with the rest of them?" Akito asked, a touch of cold in his voice. He had just emerged from Hatori's office with him.

"I need to show you something," Melody lamented, "please come with me."

Her dark green eyes were grave. She was very worried, he could see that. They reached Kisa's room and Melody pointed to the middle of Kisa's bed. There was a slightly crumpled piece of paper there. She picked it up and held it so that everyone could read it:

_Melody,_

_ I've been watching you and I know what you are. If any of you ever wants to see Kisa alive again, come to the abandoned hospital on the edge of town at midnight and COME ALONE. If the police find out about this, I won't hesitate to kill her. Do what I ask and I will let her go unharmed. You've only got one chance, don't mess this up._

They had no hope of trying to figure out the handwriting, for the page was typed.

"Does anybody think that this might have something to do with the same person who hurt Hatori?" she asked.

Akito's expression was as dark as a midnight storm.

"If I find out who's responsible, I'll make them wish they'd never been born," he said menacingly. She stepped back, as she knew he probably meant it.

"What could they want with Melody?" Hatori wondered.

"Whoever it is must be in close proximity to us," Melody told them, "or they might belong to the hospital. Those are the only two places that know about my power. They must want me to heal someone. I wonder why they didn't just ask…"

"Whoever did this obviously has more to gain than just your healing power," Akito told her, "being associated with a wealthy family does have its consequences. I wouldn't be surprised if they traded you for Kisa and then asked a higher price."

It was a dark idea, but it made sense. Melody's face paled.

"Oh, I hope she's all right," she muttered, "she must be so frightened…I hope they aren't doing anything to her."

Hatori was furious. He'd seen firsthand all the terrible things that the little tiger-cub girl had gone through. For at least two years, she had not spoken aloud at all. She'd been teased and tormented until she'd finally shut down. Now that she was making some progress and doing better in school, there was this setback. Akito was angry about it as well, though not as intensely. He hardly knew Kisa and had not spent much time with her, as she was a quiet and well-behaved little girl.

"Well, I suppose I'll have to do it," Melody told them, "I don't want to risk them hurting Kisa. But I'll do the best I can to get her back, then we can call the police on whoever's done this."

"You're not going by yourself," Akito said firmly.

"But the note said—"

"I don't care what the note said."

She looked at him with wide eyes.

"Hatori, call the others. Tell them I've got a job for them."

At half-past eleven, Melody walked down the street towards the abandoned hospital. This was definitely the bad part of town. There were seedy-looking places all around and the smell of alcohol and cheap perfume was very strong on the air. It was easy to forget that she had eyes and ears all around her—at least four animal Sohmas were with her and many others were planted in the shadows out of sight. Most importantly, Father would always be with her. She had said a lot of prayers before leaving. Nervous, she'd eaten very little at dinner and had spent a lot of time in her room. Akito had surprised her by asking her if he could join her. Not talking, they had simply sat side by side listening to the radio for a long time. Now, she was doing the very thing she feared doing. Humans, she knew, could do a lot of harm to the flesh, but also the soul. There was already much more evil at work with this curse than just humans. It was the non-human influence she worried about the most. Her very flesh recoiled from this place, afraid of the dark and afraid of all the thuggish-looking men around. She didn't want to go into the hospital—it was dark, God only knew what was in there, and there were probably other dangers as well such as weakened floors. Then, she reminded herself that this was why she shouldn't let Kisa stay in there any longer than she had to.

The hospital loomed ahead of her in the dark. Part of it had been burned and some of it had collapsed. She shivered but kept going. She caught a glimpse of Kyo's tail disappearing into the shadows and tried not to smile. Knowing he was there made her feel better. A black dog was also lurking just outside her field of vision as well—Shigure. If anyone would have been looking closer at this friendly stray mutt, they'd have noticed a little gray rat riding on his back.

She entered the building. It wasn't but two seconds before she was grabbed, blindfolded, and taken up the stairs.

"She is alone, right?" A stunningly familiar voice said as Melody was bound to a chair.

"We didn't see anyone, if that's what you're asking."

After a quick pat-down, they confirmed that none of the Sohmas in their Zodiac forms were hiding on her and she wasn't carrying any weapons. The blindfold was taken off. Melody looked around.

There were many old rusty bedframes and half-rotten mattresses shoved up against the wall. Sitting on one of them was a large dog cage. Inside, Melody could just make out the orange and black stripes of a tiger cub.

"Kisa," she whispered. The men who had seized Melody were behind her, so she was unable to see who her captors were, but she didn't particularly care at the moment. Tiger-Kisa raised her head, her amber eyes large and troubled. Her teeth were showing out of a mixture of anger and fear. Melody longed to touch her through the bars to comfort her, but she couldn't move her hands.

"Kisa, it's going to be all right," she told her, "I'm here now."

Kisa made a mournful sound and a tear rolled out of her eye. Melody almost gave away the secret, but then she remembered in time that she must not tell. It was true that she had come in here alone, but the others would soon catch up with them. Since they were all very stressed out about this, there was practically no danger that they would transform into their human forms. The familiar clopping sound came down the tiled hallway. Melody's eyes widened in shock. She'd only heard the sound once before, but she recognized it instantly.

"Hello, Melody! I do hope they weren't too hard on you when they brought you up here," Ren Sohma's voice said as she stepped into the room.

"Mrs. Sohma?" Melody asked, the blood draining out of her face.

"Yes, I know who I am," she said, annoyed, "the question is who exactly you are."

"I don't understand," Melody said truthfully.

"I had my boys here look for your work records. Apparently, you don't exist. You don't even have a surname. And then there's that matter of how you're able to do for Akito what Hatori could not and his knowledge is far greater than yours."

"Mrs. Sohma, why are you doing this? If you wanted me to help you with anything, you had only to ask," Melody told her, "look at poor Kisa—you've scared her!"

"The little brat will get to go home soon," Ren said acidly, "but, if she talks, I will make sure that her silence becomes permanent."

Kisa shrank back into the back of her cage.

"Mrs. Sohma, please don't say things like that. Kisa would never hurt anyone," Melody told her, "…okay, maybe she takes a little nibble on us when she's upset, but it's nothing serious. I've done what you asked and I showed up here on my own. Now please let her out. She probably needs a good hot bowl of soup and some rest."

Ren nodded to her hired thugs and they took Kisa still in her cage downstairs. Now, it was just the two of them.

"Now," she said, "let's talk woman to woman. Is there something going on between you and Akito?"

Melody stared.

"Is that what this is about? Akito and I are only friends," she told her, "I honestly don't think it will ever go further. I'm only going to be here a short time."

"What are you talking about?"

"If you truly knew what I was," Melody answered, "you would know that my flesh has an expiration date. All of us do, but Father sent me here for something specific. Once I've done my job, my flesh dies and my soul goes home. It makes it a little difficult to have anything more than friendship with someone, not to mention it's kind of against the rules."

When Ren moved closer, Melody realized something that she hadn't caught the first time. Ren's eyes weren't focused in the same direction. One had moved off-center and was staring to the side. If anyone had been able to see through Melody's eyes at that moment, they'd have seen the yellow in Ren's aura. Yellow was a color that Melody only ever saw in someone who was in some sort of trouble, whether it be physical illness or mental illness.

"It's hard to imagine anyone being a friend of my son's," Ren said darkly, "you might think your cute little mannerisms will charm him into liking you, but you're wrong. He keeps you around because he thinks you can keep him from dying. He keeps you around because you're a human pain-killer. But, you see, he told you the truth from the start. Everyone who gets close to him ends up hurt. And you're about to pay that price."

Melody felt a cold sweat come out on her feet, her hands, and down the middle of her back.

"He was going to die. That's the curse of being born in the year of the God," she told Melody, "and everyone was going to be grateful. No more temper-tantrums. No more punishments. No more bodily injuries because he didn't get what he wanted. We were all going to be much better off without him and then you had to go and interfere. So now, I have to make sure that you can't interfere ever again."

The men had returned with the empty cages.

"You know what to do," she told them before leaving, "get rid of her however you want, just make sure they can't trace her."

Melody's heart began to thunder.

Outside, Kisa sprinted away from the hospital. She was still in her tiger form when Haru scooped her up.

"I've got you," he whispered, wrapping her in his jacket, "you'll be all right now."

He carried her back to the limo. As much as both Akito and Hatori were concerned about it sticking out like a sore thumb, it was much more spacious and had tinted windows for when the re-humanized Sohmas came to get their clothes back on. The clothes were all in an open suitcase near Akito's feet. Haru placed the bundled Kisa on the other seat.

"Where are you going?" Akito asked him.

"She might need help," Haru told him, "I know the other three are with her, but you never know."

Akito gave a nod and Haru left. He moved to the seat where Haru had left Kisa and lifted part of the jacket so that he could see Kisa's face.

"Are you all right?" he asked her. After a second's hesitation, she nodded her head. Akito placed his hand on her back. He knew she probably needed comforting after such a Hellish experience, but he wasn't sure how to help her. He wasn't a bit like Tohru.

_What would Tohru do?_

The real Tohru was out there somewhere. She'd been the one to hug them into their animal forms. She had gone with Hatori; he wasn't sure where exactly they were at the moment. So far, it was just the driver, Kisa, and himself. Akito remembered her as they sat there in the long silence. Many of the things Tohru had done annoyed him; she always had that disgustingly cheerful attitude. She was always offering her help and taking crap that she didn't deserve just so that she could get along with everyone. And…

Akito gently lifted Kisa into his lap. That seemed to be a very Tohru-ish thing to do. Kisa felt very light in his arms; she couldn't have weighted more than five or six pounds at the most. Despite his frame being thin and bony, he was giving off a lot of warmth. Kisa had been thoroughly chilled in the old hospital both from temperature and from fear. It was an unusually cold night for summer. Kisa rubbed her face against his chest and an odd sound started coming from her.

_She's purring…_

It was a small thing, but it meant the world to him in that moment. He was so used to people being afraid of him that it was odd to be accepted in a different way. In some of the books that Akito had studied while he was completing school by correspondence, he had read that many of the wild cat species would purr for many different reasons. Sometimes they did it when they were happy, but they also purred when they were afraid or hurting; something about it comforted them. Oddly, it made him feel better as well. Children were remarkably resilient and forgiving—it was something adults tended to forget how to do once they got older. He stroked her head while they waited and he hoped that nothing had happened to Melody.

In her head, Melody had dubbed her captors Gun and Knife according to the weapons they carried. Both were men that she desperately wanted to be away from right now. Despite Father's command to love all your earthly neighbors as yourself, she was comforted by the fact that she didn't have to like them. Knife kept touching her face with the blade while Gun teased her by talking about where he would shoot her first. Ren was gone—she did not come back to that room.

"She did say we could do whatever we wanted," Knife said finally, "I'll bet we could have a bit of fun first."

He lifted Melody's chin. Melody now had tape over her mouth and was unable to speak, but her wide, dark eyes were wild with terror and she didn't need to make any noise at all to get her point across.

"You're a pretty thing," he finally said, "it's a pity we have to do away with you. You look exactly like the kind of girl I'd shell out for."

Gun laughed harshly.

"She thinks she's an angel. I wonder if she really does have any wings."

Melody was pitched into the floor on her stomach. She hit it so hard that her nose started to bleed and tears flowed out of her eyes from the pain. The wind was knocked out of her and left her body with a painful WHUMP! Since her mouth was blocked, all she could manage was a muffled grunt. Knife stood over her, straddling her with one foot on either side of her hips. He lifted her shirt collar. Melody winced as the sound of ripping fabric filled the ominous silence. The breeze rushed onto her back and she shrank down against the floor as much as she could.

"Look at this," Knife said, pointing to the ridges on her back, "she really is a bloody angel."

Melody thought he sounded like a bad movie villain. Though his features were as Asian as anyone else's around here, he spoke with a thick British accent, which indicated that he wasn't from around here.

Gun knelt down next to Melody, running his hands down her back. She cringed when they didn't stop and touched her butt as well. She was still new to this human thing, but she was pretty sure that they weren't supposed to do that.

"Quite a figure," he said lustfully, "I do hate to waste it."

They turned her over. Melody screamed in protest, but it barely made a sound through the thick tape. Gun ripped away what was left of her shirt and unfastened her jeans. He was in the process of yanking them off when the door burst open. Shigure, in dog form, sprang out of the shadows and knocked him down. Kyo sprang at the man with the knife. Tears were running out Melody's eyes. Unfortunately, there were more than just these two men and more were coming. Something thundered on the stairs and a strange sort of roar with a thundering sound. If she had been in her right mind, she might have recognized them as hooves. Struggling against her restraints, she felt a great and terrible fear as one of the men shot at Shigure. Thankfully, he was too quick and dodged the bullets. Melody began to tremble all over. Something great and terrible was awakening inside her. Stripped down to almost nothing, tied up, and vulnerable while her friends were in danger, some kind of darkness began to swallow the fear. Melody's eyes began to glow an otherworldly shade of red. She tugged at her restraints and they broke with a snap. The men had not yet realized something was wrong and she somehow knew that Ren herself had escaped. Melody slowly stood, two wings that were somehow insubstantial-looking but very real unfurling behind her. They were as black as the shadows in this place. She ignored her tattered clothes and started towards them, moving slowly as a person in a dream.

"Hey, what's going on with her?" one of them asked.

The fighting temporarily ceased. Melody stared at him—at least everyone thought she was looking at him. It was hard to tell, as there was no distinguishable iris or pupil. She smiled one of the most chilling smiles that anyone in that room had ever seen and her mouth had a row of sharp teeth. The veins on her arms began to glow: one was red-hot, the other was a bright electrical blue. One palm burst into flames, the other was filled with a ball of snapping sparks. She pointed both hands at him and a burst of fire and flame came out. He yelled and fell to the ground, rolling around. When the other guys saw this, they scattered.

_Melody!_ Shigure shouted, but she seemed not to hear him. The room had caught fire and they must all get out or perish inside this death-trap. Yuki clung to his back while Kyo raced alongside them. They ran after Melody, trying to get her to stop attacking, but it was no use.

"They wanted fire, they got fire!" she sang-shouted, spinning in a circle. Gouts of flame and electricity shot from her hands as she whirled, lighting the whole floor. By then, thankfully, Shigure and the others were already on the stairwell.

_Melody, please, this isn't you! Why don't we just forget them and go home?_ This time, it was Yuki pleading with her. She again appeared not to hear them. They escaped down the stairs, finding Haru head-butting a guy across the hall in his cow form. Even though he was in his "black" phase, he had enough sense to run when he smelled the flames licking away at the upstairs part.

Outside, the others saw the column of smoke rising and the orange-red light from the flames. They heard glass breaking, yelling, and all sorts of other commotion. The four Sohmas that had followed Melody into the hospital came outside choking on the smoke.

"Where's Melody?" Tohru asked.

_She's still inside, _Haru warned, _but she's not herself. It's like she snapped._

With a crash, Melody exploded out of one of the nearby windows. Her blood shone dark and wet against her skin, but she seemed not to notice it. For one terrible instance, they all saw her except for Kisa, who was nearly asleep and unaware of how desperate the situation had gotten. She was also burned in a few places and the jeans had come off somewhere inside. Clothed only in her under-things, she landed on the sidewalk. A glowing tear appeared on her cheek and her eyes dulled and closed. She crumpled into a heap on the sidewalk. The next time she opened her eyes, they were her ordinary eyes again. The smoky, shadowy wings that had carried her during her moments of wrath faded and were nothing. It was Hatori who approached her first. He took his doctor's coat off and wrapped it around her. She was shivering madly, though from cold or fear he couldn't tell. Then, together, they lifted her from the cold sidewalk and put her in the car. Kisa was now in Haru's arms and she stayed there all the way home. Shigure, Yuki, Kyo, and Kureno all transformed one by one back to humans and went to the back of the car to get dressed.

"What happened?" Akito finally dared ask.

Shigure glanced at Melody. She didn't seem fully awake, but she wasn't asleep either.

"I'll tell you later," he said quietly.

They took Melody to the hospital wing first. Melody didn't seem to want anyone to touch her and reacted violently to Hatori's attempts to clean out her cuts. She struck him so hard that he actually fell.

"It's no use," he sighed, "I'm going to have to sedate her. She's lost so much blood already…"

Akito watched as he loaded up the syringe. Melody was breathing raggedly. There was a strange blankness to her eyes as if she were seeing another place entirely. Perhaps she saw demons instead of friends.

"Distract her," Hatori whispered, "just for a minute."

Akito stepped forward.

"Melody," he said sharply, trying to get her to look at him. She wouldn't. He placed a hand on hers and shook it slightly. She winced, trying to pull away from him. Hatori was behind her, so she couldn't see him. He thrust the needle into her arm and pushed the plunger down on the syringe. She shrieked and tried to swat him away, but it was too late. The medicine was already taking effect. Her hand dropped limply and her eyes were starting to slide shut.

"It's very late," Hatori offered, "I can patch her up now if you want to go to bed."

Akito didn't move from where he was. For some odd reason, he wanted to stay. Melody had gone to all the trouble to stay with him even when he'd been cross with her. After all this trouble, it was the least he could do.

It finally occurred to him that she didn't have any clothes on. He knew Hatori was treating the cuts and burns on her stomach and back first so that he could put a hospital gown over her, but what exactly had happened before that? When the realization hit him, he thought he was going to throw up.

"Hatori, you don't suppose they…?" he couldn't finish his sentence. As sheltered of a life as he'd led, he wasn't completely ignorant on the facts of life.

"I don't know," Hatori answered honestly. He was looking a little pale and sick himself. Akito watched him clean out one of her cuts. He retrieved a suture kit and began to stitch it closed.

"Is there a way of finding out?"

Hatori paused only for a second.

"Yes, but under the circumstances, I think it would be best if we waited for Melody to tell us. She's already upset enough as it is. I don't want her to lose her trust for us on top of it."

Already, this morning seemed like a distant dream. Though he was seeing more skin than he ever had, it didn't really seem like hers. The Melody he knew had healthy, pink skin. This poor shattered creature on the table was pale and marred with cuts, bruises, and burns. In time, those things would heal, but what of her mind? Injuries of the mind, he knew, could take forever to heal if they ever did.

When, late into the night, Hatori had bandaged up every last injury and given her more sedative so that she would sleep for a while, Shigure came in and told Akito what had taken place. Akito was furious, but at least his anger wasn't directed at anyone innocent. He actually complimented Shigure and the others for getting there before things had gone any further. There was the report with the police to file and many other things to take care of. The morning sky was brightening from black to navy blue by the time everything was sorted out. Akito was in the chair by Melody's bed when he finally let his eyes slide closed. He only meant to rest his eyes for a minute, but he fell asleep. It had been a thoroughly exhausting day, but things could have gone much worse. He only hoped now that Melody would be okay.


	13. Chapter 13

Her first awakening was a prickle of pain. She felt sore and beaten all over. Her skin was sensitive and stung in places. Melody lay perfectly still for fear of worsening it, but she knew she'd have to face the day sometime. Memories were slowly starting to surface; memories that she'd much rather forget. She blinked against the bright light, afraid of where she might end up. Antiseptic…bleach…she knew those smells. Somehow she had been taken back to the Sohma house and she must be safe. Horrified at what had happened the night before, she wondered how she could ever face them. Grimly, she tried to remind herself that she'd still accomplished what she'd gone to the abandoned hospital for. She needed to see if Kisa was all right. Slowly looking around, she saw that she'd been placed in the corner bed farthest from the door. Her hand brushed something soft and she looked down. Akito's hair contrasted sharply with the white sheet. He was still asleep, his face pointed away from hers. Melody smiled sadly. For all his toughness, he had still stayed with her. She mused that she must have done something right.

"I'm glad to see that you're awake," Hatori whispered, "how do you feel now?"

"Terrible," she answered truthfully, "but I'll make it. Where's Kisa?"

"She's safely in bed with her mother," Hatori said, "and all the others made it back unscathed. You were the only one injured."

Both of them glanced over at Akito at the same time. At Melody's questioning look, Hatori gave a nod. He had stayed there all night with her. It was now at least two or three in the afternoon. He stirred, hearing them talk, and tried to stretch the knot out in his neck.

"Thank you for staying with me," Melody said meekly.

"Don't get used to it," he warned her, though his quiet voice lacked the conviction necessary to make her think he meant it.

In the daylight, her injuries looked worse than they had last night. Her face was bruised up and the cuts were inflamed. He knew it was part of the healing process, but it was still unsettling.

"It still means a lot to me," she said quietly, looking down at the covers. She remembered what happened last night all too clearly and was horrified. Though she knew that deep down what had happened was not her fault, she felt guilty. What must he think of her now?

"You look terrible," he finally said, "they must have been pretty rough on you."

Melody felt her face begin to burn.

"I tried to get out," she said, near tears, "but they had me tied up. I got out as fast as I could. And then I lost my temper…I'm so ashamed…"

"Considering what they were doing to you, I can't say I blame you."

She hugged her arms closer to her body as if the very memory of being naked in front of those hired thugs made her feel naked now.

"I'm sorry, Akito…I don't know if your mom made it out," she said, the tears finally breaking free, "…I didn't see her when I escaped…"

"Stop crying! If she's dead, then she deserved what she got!" Akito snapped. Melody stared at him, wide-eyed.

"How can you say that? She's still your mother…"

"She gave birth to me. That's the only thing she ever did, and any fool can get pregnant. If I find out she's alive after what she's done, I'll kill her myself!"

Melody did not know what to say. She was torn between being warmed by his protectiveness, but upset that she had caused so much trouble between the two of them.

"Akito," Hatori said gently, "there's no need for that. The police will find Ren. In the meantime, try not to upset yourself or Melody too much, all right? I need to change Melody's dressings. Would you mind waiting outside?"

Without another word, he turned on his heel and left. Melody sniffed noisily and tried to stop crying. She took the tissue box he offered her and blew her noise in a very unladylike fashion.

"I didn't mean to cause so much trouble," she finally choked out, "Akito already disliked Mrs. Sohma so much already…I've made it worse."

"You shouldn't blame yourself for what happened," Hatori told her, "you saved Kisa's life and you saved mine. There's not a doubt in my mind that she was the one that hurt me. If not for you, we'd have both died."

He checked to make sure the stitches were holding. As much as he didn't want to ask, he knew he was going to have to.

"Melody, did anything besides the glass cuts and the burns happen?"

"Well, yes and no," she told him, "they took my clothes off, but they didn't do anything else because I hurt them."

It was a relief to know that she had not been raped. Hatori let out a breath he'd been holding.

"If you start to get in too much pain, let me know and I'll give you something for it."

"All right."

He poked his head out the door.

"You can come back in now."

Judging by his expression, Akito guessed that Melody hadn't been violated. He was relieved, too. He was so relieved that he actually smiled for a second. She'd be all right, then.

"As soon as you're well, I'm sending you away," Akito told her.

"What?! I can't leave," Melody pleaded, "there's too much to do here."

"I'm sending you to the vacation house until my mother is caught and arrested," Akito said firmly, "it's not safe for you to be here. We're going to take turns staying with you in shifts."

"But—"

"Melody, if you won't do it for yourself, do it because I'm telling you to. I didn't pay your hospital bill just to see you get killed—or worse."

"What's worse than being killed?"

He gave an exasperated sigh.

"You don't want to know."

"What if you get sick?" she asked.

He'd been fortunate enough not to have any porphyria attacks since that first night since she came here.

"We'll manage," he told her, "if it gets too bad, I'll have Hatori or one of the others come and get you or they'll drive me out there. Don't worry about it."

He could tell that she still didn't want to go, but there was nothing to be done. He himself couldn't stay gone all the time, as there was too much to do.

"I've seen what you go through. I can't help but worry. You were one of the first friends I made here."

"You sound like Tohru."

The truth was that words did not come easily to him. After all that—after all he'd put her through plus all the outside events that had happened, she saw him as a friend. He couldn't really say he'd ever had one before.

He saw her move, heard the ruffle of the hospital gown and the sheet, and knew she was going to hug him again. This time, he stepped into her embrace willingly. He didn't pat her back this time because he was afraid he'd hit a sore spot. Her cheek rested against his shoulder. He couldn't see her closed eyes, but he could sense her peace. It was funny how a touch said so many things that words couldn't.

_I'm afraid, too, _his heart was saying, _but I can't let this beat me or any of the rest of us. You said yourself that my job was to protect all of you. _

"I have to go now," he said in her ear. She released him, a smile still ghosting her lips.

While Akito had been with Melody, a rather interesting conversation was taking place out in the garden.

"Something's going on there," Haru pointed out, "he hasn't beaten anyone recently, or even shouted at us."

"He does seem a lot happier," Ayame agreed, "maybe it's because he's feeling better."

"I think it's because he's discovered the enchanting world of the fairer gender," Shigure suggested mischievously.

Then, the three of them laughed nervously. The idea of Akito being in love with someone was such a far-fetched concept that it seemed as mythical as one of the fairy-tales they'd read as children.

"Really, though," Ayame pointed out, "there are twelve of us that turn into animals when we're stressed, hugged, or otherwise put under pressure. We're proof that the impossible can happen. Why not that?"

"The question isn't why or why not," Shigure said coolly, "the question is what we're going to do about it."

Haru shook his head.

"Whatever you're thinking, leave me out of it. I've had enough to deal with lately."

They watched him walk away, sympathetic of his situation with Isuzu.

"Perhaps if Akito knew what it was like to be in love, maybe he would sympathize with them more," Ayame suggested.

"And Hatori and Kana, too," Shigure said, then, "…or the next one he meets."

"All of us, perhaps," Ayame agreed.

"He'll fight it," Shigure muttered, "I know him. He's too afraid after what Ren did to him."

"Maybe he'll learn differently with Melody around."

Just moments after Akito left, Kisa came in. She was still yawning a little, but looked no worse for wear.

"Sorry it took so long for me to come and see you," she said, "I wanted to thank you for getting me out of that awful place last night."

"No problem," Melody told her, "I'm just glad you're safe."

Kisa held out a yellow rose that she had picked out from the garden.

"I brought this for you since you can't go outside and see them today," she said, holding it out. Melody noticed that all the thorns had already been skinned off. Perhaps Haru or one of the other guys had done that for her.

"Thank you," Melody said gratefully, "how are you feeling?"

"I was scared last night, but it's all right now. Were you scared?"

"Absolutely terrified," she confessed, "but I was more worried about you than me."

"That's because you're a guardian angel. Haru says you're Akito's guardian angel, but I think you're everybody's. Is that right?"

"Yes," Melody said, "I help everyone I can when I can."

There was a pause.

"Akito must really like you," Kisa finally said, "he stayed here all night and I don't remember him ever doing that for any of us."

For a reason she couldn't explain, Melody felt her cheeks grow hot.

"Do you like him?"

_You've got to love children, _thought Melody, _they always get right to the point. _

"He is my friend just as the rest of you are," she said truthfully.

Hatori hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but he could hear them from the office. The door was ajar.

"He was scared last night when you didn't come out of the old building. He didn't say anything to anybody, but I heard his heart pounding," Kisa said, "and he smelled scared."

"How do you smell when you're scared?" Melody couldn't help but ask.

"I don't really know how to explain it, I just know."

Hatori tapped his pen against the palm of his hand, his concentration completely blown. He almost felt ashamed at being surprised—of course there were times Akito would get scared. Regardless of what he said or did, he'd always be human. But this was different somehow…the truth is that they'd all been terrified that something had happened to Melody, even after they got her home. Whether or not this would go any further remained to be seen, but the fact that he'd been so relieved, that he'd actually _smiled_, was an indicator that he at least appreciated her more than he'd originally thought. Now he was more concerned—what if something did end up happening to Melody? It would devastate Akito. The last near-month had been something of a miracle all on its own. Akito had actually been joining the others, talking to them and treating them like human beings instead of property. He was happier, and they were all happier as a result. Despite the changes being subtle to everyone else, all the older Sohmas knew that something more was going on.

_I wonder if I should say something…no, I will stay out of it. The last thing I want to do is upset him if I'm wrong,_ Hatori thought, _besides, it hasn't been very long. No one could fall that fast._

Melody walked out of the hospital wing that afternoon with promises that she'd come in every morning and evening for dressing changes. She could do them herself, but she needed help with the ones on her back. Hatori also wanted to make sure she'd recovered from the blood loss and to take the precautionary antibiotics just because the cuts were so deep and so numerous. She was glad to get to her room and discard the hospital gown into the laundry hamper. Though she couldn't take one of her long, luxurious baths with her stitches, she did manage a sponge bath and felt much better. Tugging on a pair of baggy gray sweatpants and a black tank top, she was ready for a quiet evening in. She should have been exhausted, but she wasn't. In fact, she felt more restless than she ever had. She felt guilty that she was such a bother that she had to be sent away in order to be protected. What kind of a guardian was she?!

"Oh, Father," she sighed, "what will I do? We did make a deal, after all, and I can't argue my way out of this one. But I don't want to leave him, either. If only they'd find Ren…"

She sat back on her bed, trying to figure out whether she wanted to try and play some music or just read a book. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," she said quietly. Kyoko poked her head in the door.

"Melody," she said sweetly, "dinner's ready."

Melody glanced up.

"I'd like to have mine here if no one minds," she said.

"Well, ordinarily I'd be happy to help you out, but Akito asked me to come and get you. He insists that you go and eat with the others."

"All right," Melody said reluctantly, "although I don't know what makes tonight different than any other night."

The hallways were deserted, which puzzled Melody. Where was everybody?! There was usually always someone out here. It was starting to make her nervous when Kyoko let her in first.

"Oh…" was all she could get out.

All of the Zodiac members, including Kyo and even Tohru, were sitting together at the enormous dining room table. The platters of food were already placed, and they were all of Melody's favorite dishes. She didn't know the names of all of them, just the appearance. And there were crystal tiers of almost every kind of dessert imaginable. She noticed that her coffee cup was already placed at the empty setting.

"Are you going to stand there and stare all night, or are you going to sit down? I'm starving here!" Kyo said impatiently. Melody giggled and plopped down into the empty chair.

"What's the occasion?" she asked.

"I would think that's obvious," Ayame answered, "you saved Kisa, of course. You saved Akito as well. We wanted to do something special for you."

Melody grew warm inside.

"Well, I appreciate it," she said softly, "I really do. It's easy to forget how far away from home I am with all of you guys around."

The maids were going to give Akito his portions first, but he shook his head.

"Serve Melody first. All this is for her."

Some glances were exchanged.

"Are you sure?" Melody asked.

"Shut up and eat."

She laughed and began on her rice. Everyone was laughing and talking and they seemed a bit more at ease than they had the last time they'd all been together. No one argued or fought and the tension in the air was much less thick. When she ate all the different pasta dishes, she tried very carefully not to slurp them or get sauce everywhere. She wasn't sure why she was feeling so self-conscious about it. It seemed odd that they were all here before she was and that they'd intentionally left her a seat by Akito. Glancing at Kisa for a split second, she wondered if this had anything to do with their conversation earlier. Then, she let her gaze go sideways the other way for a second. If anything was really that different, Akito wasn't letting on. If he'd been anywhere nearly as stressed out as she was, he'd probably kept from eating much yesterday and that was why he was taking such an interest in the food now. His gaze stayed intently down on his plate and she didn't bother him. It was enough for her that he'd gone to this much trouble. Momiji snapped her out of her daze when he asked if she knew any more games besides Uno Attack.

"Oh, I've got plenty of games," she said mischievously, "I've got video games, too. Would you all like to help me break them in after we finish eating?"

"I would love to stay, but I've got so much work to do," Tohru began, but Shigure placed a hand on her shoulder.

"It won't kill the housework to wait until tomorrow morning," he told her.

"Oh, no, no, no, I really couldn't—"

"Stay a little longer," Akito spoke up, "it seems a shame for you to come all this way for such a short visit."

Kyo choked on his tea and Yuki thumped him hard on the back until he stopped coughing.

"It will give us a chance to get to know each other better," Melody said gratefully, "it'll be nice to have another so-called 'outsider' to talk to."

Shigure, Ayame, and Hatori all exchanged looks. They had been friends for so long that they could read each other's expressions. Hatori's expression was concern, Shigure's was of contentment, and Ayame's was mischievous. While Shigure wouldn't have advocated Tohru being anywhere near Akito last month, he wasn't afraid with Melody here. He wasn't sure why.

"All right," Tohru said, a little startled. First she'd been invited up here by Akito himself, now this. She was nervous, but also excited. There'd be a lot to tell Mom about later when she finally got home to bed.

They plugged Melody's game system into a big flatscreen TV. It was one of those luxuries that was hardly ever used around here; everyone was so busy most of the time. Melody spread the games out.

"First," she said, gesturing to Kyo and Yuki (who were arguing about something), "I'm going to show you a way you can settle your differences without bruising each other up. Watch this."

She made two avatars that looked exactly like them, then handed them the controllers. The game was a fighting game and whoever could take all the health points off the bar or knock the other out of the ring would win.

"Now I'll show you, you damn rat!" Kyo snarled. There was no talking for a while, only the clicks of buttons and controller sticks. Yuki won the first match, but it wasn't long until Kyo tied with him, then won by knocking him into the water. Everyone had been cheering and smack-talking and even making bets. Even Kyo was surprised when he won. He'd never beaten Yuki at anything before.

"I told you!" he said, not disguising the shock in his voice very well.

Melody was grinning from ear to ear.

"It's a good thing that the Cat's Room doesn't exist anymore, isn't it? It would have sat empty for decades to come."

Now it was quiet again, so quiet that she could hear her own heartbeat.

"The bet was that he couldn't beat Yuki in a fight," Akito corrected her, "this was just a game."

"It was a _fighting_ game," she told him, "and they were very much fighting like they always do."

No one knew what to say. Even Akito was vaguely stunned. Had she actually planned it this way?!

The others started to move away. They were watching Akito as if he were a mine that someone had tripped over and would explode any second. But he didn't. That same sinister grin crossed his lips. It was that chilling smile that no one ever wanted to be on the wrong end of. His quiet chuckle made their blood ice over.

"So they were…"

Akito rose from his place and walked up to Yuki and Kyo.

"Congratulations," he told Kyo, "you actually did it. I suppose the two of you can stop bickering like an old married couple now."

Tohru was pale, uncertain as to what would happen now. But nothing scary did happen, for Melody whisked the controllers out of their hands and plopped one of them into Akito's hands.

"All right, Akito, you want to see fighting? Let's see if you can take me!"

"You'll be sorry," he warned her.

"Riiiiiight…"

Akito made his avatar. Melody already had hers done beforehand, so she took another one of the numerous cupcakes that had been brought in here from the dining room. When the cupcake was gone and the avatar was finished, they sat side by side. Everyone was riveted for the moment. They actually expected Melody to win, as they'd never seen Akito play a video game. They were all wrong.

Akito had been acting on impulses from the time he was born. Never stopping to think things through had their advantages. For someone who was sick so much, he had amazing reflexes. Melody was tiring out just trying to block all his hits. Her thumbs were aching terribly by the end of the first round and she lost by a tiny sliver of her health bar. Akito chuckled nastily as her avatar fell to the floor in a crumpled heap. She massaged the base of her thumbs.

"Keep laughing, Akito. I'll get you eventually."

She was wrong again. This time, he'd clobbered her before she could even clear out half of his health bar. By the last round, she'd lost spectacularly.

"I told you," he bragged, "you'd be sorry."

She laughed.

"Sure…we'll see how you do on the next game. It may prove to be a bigger challenge."

Isuzu played against Hatsuharu. She obliterated him. Tohru lost to Yuki. Shigure won against Ayame. Hatori had gone, so he hadn't played against anyone. Kisa and Momiji played and Kisa won. She lost against Hiro. The kids had to go to bed, so it was just the adults left now. Akito played all of those who had one and he didn't lose to anybody.

"His ego's going to be unbearable after this," Shigure whispered to Ayame. Akito's expression was still smug when Melody brought out the other game.

"The case says 'Left 2 Die'," she says, "but you're going to be the zombie hunters, not the zombies themselves. Four of us can play at a time and here, Akito, is where it gets to be a challenge. We have to work as a team to get through the levels. That means sharing health packs, ammunition, and sometimes even going back through a big horde of zombies to get your teammate unstuck. We can only go on if everyone makes it to the safety room alive. Got me?"

She was right—it was harder. Akito was going around and blasting everything that moved until one of the Strongmen seized him and started beating his avatar against a wall. Shigure was the one who freed him, but then he started into his helpless puppy-dog routine.

"I'd love to help you more, but I hardly have any health points left."

Gritting his teeth, Akito used his own health pack to heal him.

"Don't say a word," he hissed at Melody, "I just did it to shut him up."

It took them three tries to get through a level without someone getting killed or Akito running ahead of everyone and then getting killed. By the time they managed to do it, it was quite late and everyone was exhausted.

"That was so much fun," Melody said warmly, hugging everyone goodbye, "we'll have to do this again sometime."

Slowly the room emptied out. Melody put all the games in their cases, then put them in the small bag she kept them in. She was unplugging the console when she felt Akito's shadow eclipse her.

"Why did you take it upon yourself to interfere?"

She looked up at him.

"You're taking over," he said acidly, "is that what you want? They all like you and they all look up to you and now you're interfering in things that ought to be MY responsibility!"

She winced as his tone sharpened.

"I want nothing more than for you to be happy," she said firmly, "I gave you one less thing to be burdened with. If you're going to be angry with me for that, prepare to hate me for the rest of your life."

She carried the things down the hall to her room. Akito stayed where he was, feeling his familiar moodiness coming over him, but also puzzlement. What had she meant by the rest of his life?


	14. Chapter 14

The night was clear and a sliver of moon shone in the sky. The wind, however, was quite strong and it whistled and howled around the house. Akito was unreasonably jumpy and continued to scold himself for being afraid of a little wind. Despite being very, very tired, he couldn't get to sleep yet. His mind was still stuck on what that damn Melody had said.

"Rest of my life, huh? I'll only regret it for about six months or so," he muttered. It seemed uncomfortably warm under these covers, so he threw them back. Instantly, he regretted that because he started shivering violently. Suddenly furious, he punched at his pillow over and over until he was panting and sweating. Ugh….his limbs felt so heavy. Why couldn't he get to sleep? He rolled over and buried his face in his pillow. Then, he screamed into the stuffing until he ran out of air.

"I hate her," he finally groaned. He wasn't sure how long he lay there, but he must have fallen asleep at some point, for what happened next could not be real.

His door slid open. Akito vaguely wondered who could possibly be there in the middle of the night. He saw Melody's familiar dark curls and dark eyes, unnaturally shiny in the shadows. She wore some kind of thin nightgown thing that barely covered her and left very little to the imagination. He opened his mouth to ask her what the Hell she was doing in here dressed like that at this time of night, but nothing came out. It was like his voice had suddenly gone. Melody came to sit down on the side of his bed. She said nothing either, just stroked his cheek with her fingertips in the same way that she did when he was sick and she'd healed him. There was something different about this touch, though. This one made him feel strange…goose bumps popped out on his arms and legs. Her fingers stroked his cheeks and ran through his hair, then traced the outline of his lips. His pulse jumped.

She gently peeled back the covers and slipped under them with him. There was something not right about this, but he seemed unable to protest it in any way. Her cool hands felt good against his hot skin. They slid beneath the robe where the smooth, flat plane of his chest was and slowly made their way down to his stomach. And heaven help him…he didn't want her to stop. He stopped trying to fight it. Her lips grazed his cheek first, then brushed teasingly over his. Something in his middle burst into flames and he was almost angry that she'd stopped. Seizing her around the back of the head, he yanked her back down, her lips crashing into his. Then, something extraordinary happened: the room itself burst into flames. Akito laughed; it was a harsh, ragged sound from the smoke and the lust. He was still half-convinced that it was still a dream when Melody disappeared. The flames were growing hotter and hotter. He called for her to come back, but she was gone.

At first, the heat had been pleasant against his now exposed skin, but now it was uncomfortable and sweltering. Akito grunted, willing himself to get up from the bed. He didn't like this dream anymore—it was too real. He could actually smell things burning and people screaming.

Then, with a jolt, the ability to move shot through him with a crashing sensation. Akito sat up, coughing. The snapping and hissing of flames was quite sinister and all too real. He looked around with wide eyes to realize that the whole room was ablaze!

"It wasn't a dream?" he asked stupidly, throwing off the covers and jumping out of the bed just as the flames reached them. He looked down. His robes were still fastened; so some of it must have been a dream. The real Melody would never behave in such a way. He looked at the open door, perplexed. There was no time to figure it out now, though—he must get out. He bolted through the sliding door out into the garden. Others, still half-asleep and confused with panic, also came running out. Many of them were struggling to hack the smoke out of their lungs. Children were crying and even some of the adults were shedding some tears. Yelling above the confusion, he was trying to make sure everyone was accounted for. Only one little boy was missing. The pieces came together for him then—she'd gone back to try and find him. Growling in frustration, Akito ran back into the flaming house without even thinking.

"MELODY!" he yelled. He checked her room. Then, holding the collar of his robe up over his face to keep the smoke out of his lungs, he continued through the house. Though the noise was immense, he heard a soft whimper and sprinted towards it. The fire was spreading rapidly through the surprisingly fragile house. He saw a pair of eyes and an open mouth, sobbing, as the child that she'd gone after tried to pull her by the arm from under a pile of wreckage. Melody's whole bottom half was pinned. Despite her efforts to claw her way out, she couldn't seem to do it. She was coughing so much that she couldn't get a breath in, either. When she realized that a pair of feet were walking towards her, she looked up with pleading eyes, red and teary from the smoke. Akito grabbed her hands and pulled steadily, backing up. Inch by inch, he freed her. It only took a few seconds, but it seemed like an eternity and she was HEAVY. He'd pulled so hard that she at last slipped free and he landed on his butt. Ignoring the pain that shot through his body, he snatched the kid up, grabbed her hand, and hauled her out through the nearest door. Half-blind by the smoke and oxygen-starved, it was all he could to do keep going. Behind them, they heard glass shattering and the sickening thud of the roof falling in. Someone took the toddler out of Akito's arms and they were both guided away from the house. Akito was coughing so hard he was pretty sure he threw up at one point. Beside him, Melody was making an ugly, harsh sound that was like she had a lungful of gravel. Someone slipped an oxygen mask over his face and the coughing slowly stopped.

"Thank you so much, Akito-sama!" A pair of arms wrapped around his thin frame—he recognized the nearly hysterical voice as the mother of the child he'd hauled out of the house. He wasn't strong enough to return the hug yet—the adrenaline he'd been running on was waning rapidly. He watched the mother hug her son tightly to her chest, then the father hugging them both. Their faces were streaked with soot and the tears they both cried washed it away in thin stripes. Akito felt oddly numb, as if he were watching this on TV or in a dream. His chest hurt, his arms hurt, his eyes hurt, and he was exhausted. Only the discomfort in his lungs seemed truly real. Hatori was kneeling beside him, checking to make sure he hadn't gotten burned. Melody lay beside him in the grass, her eyes closed. She didn't appear to have been burned; he'd gotten her out quickly enough. She wore an oxygen mask as well. The firefighters had gotten there just as they'd emerged and were now trying to contain the blaze. More people were being treated for smoke inhalation and minor burns, but no one had been seriously injured or killed. That in itself had been a miracle. Akito thought he saw a dark shape disappearing out of the bright circle of light that the flames cast and an ominous feeling cast a shadow on his mind. Just to confirm that his dream hadn't been real, he glanced over at Melody. She wasn't wearing a skimpy gown—she had on cotton pajamas that tastefully covered everything. Of course it hadn't been real.

Despite her eyes being closed, as they probably hurt, her hand sought his out. When he felt the warmth and the pressure from her squeezing it, he knew exactly what she wanted to tell him. She was saying thank you. He squeezed back, watching as the hissing arcs of water put out the red-orange flames bit by bit. The flashes of red and blue lights from ambulances, police cars, and fire-trucks made his head ache. As much as he just wanted to go back to bed, it was unlikely.

Shigure's car pulled up and he, Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki burst out of the car.

"What happened? Is everyone all right?"

Thankfully, the parents of the little boy explained it. Everyone gave an account of what they had seen or heard leading up to the fire. Akito looked at the smoking ruins of the part of the house they'd been in and his head began to ache worse.

"I know it's not going to be as spacious as this place," Shigure offered, placing his hand on Akito's shoulder, "but why don't you both stay with us for a few days?"

He could only nod. He could breathe well enough without the oxygen mask on now, but Yuki and Shigure helped him up. Once he was on his feet, he walked on legs as trembling as sloshing water to the car and got in. Melody got in beside him. It was a bit crowded, as now there were six of them instead of four, but nobody paid any mind. It was very late, at least four in the morning. The brightness of the lighting in the house seemed obscenely blinding after being in darkness for a while. There would be room upstairs, but neither of them made it that far. Akito didn't know where Melody was, but he face-planted on one of the couches and didn't move after that. Unsure of whether she should leave him, Melody had flopped down right beside him. By the time Shigure and the others made it inside, they were both already asleep or very close to it.

Tohru had to suppress a giggle. Shigure grinned. Kyo's jaw dropped, and Yuki's eyes grew wide.

"Well, they certainly look comfortable enough," Shigure whispered, "I was going to tell them we had room upstairs, but it seems a pity to wake them up."

He retrieved one of the throw-blankets and spread it over them. Suppressing the amused chuckle that bubbled up from his lungs, he signaled to the others just to go upstairs and not say anything.

The rest of the night and part of the morning passed dreamlessly. Akito was vaguely aware of dishes rattling, though everyone was trying to be quiet. At first, he couldn't remember where he was or what happened. His eyes slowly opened and the world was flooded with sunshine. He could see Tohru in the kitchen. Kyo was shaping the rice balls, pretending he didn't want to be there, but he wasn't fooling anyone. Shigure was sitting at the table talking to both of them, and Yuki was nowhere to be found. Akito heard Shigure say he'd gone out to his garden.

Akito tried to move, but he couldn't. Something heavy was pinning him. He moved his head to look and got a face-full of dark curls.

"Melody," he hissed in her ear, "wake up! You're crushing me!"

He shook her until she showed some signs of life. Unfortunately, she did so by rubbing her face in his chest.

"Mmmm…" she muttered.

"Melody!" he said more firmly. She opened her eyes. Her dark emerald ones met his dark sapphire ones.

"Oh!"

She sat up, her cheeks flaming.

"Sorry about that…"

They looked up to see all four of the regular household members standing in the doorway of the kitchen. Realizing they were caught, they all dispersed. Yuki still held the basket of vegetables on his arm. Kyo had still been holding a rice ball. Tohru had held the wooden spoon and Shigure still held his pen. Akito rubbed his shoulder and his arm, trying to get the blood flow going again. It prickled and pained him, having gone numb from Melody laying on it for so long. She was going to help him, but he pulled away from her.

"I didn't know if you were injured or not last night," she admitted quietly, "I didn't think I should leave you and I was just so tired…"

"So you took it upon yourself to use me as a pillow?" he asked acidly.

"Not at first, no," she admitted. If her cheeks turned any redder, they would be purple, he mused. He couldn't help but enjoy her obvious discomfort. He'd found the one thing that seemed to get a rise out of her.

"I guess I'd better go help Tohru," she said quietly, seeming anxious to escape.

"That would be best," he growled.

Once in the kitchen, he heard Shigure say: "Oh, don't mind him. He's always cranky in the morning."

"I'm right here!" Akito snapped.

A very exhausted Hatori came by and dropped off what things they had salvaged from house. Tohru asked him to stay for breakfast, but he politely declined.

"I think I should get back there," he said, "but thank you."

He did talk to Akito for a moment, though.

"They think it was intentional," he said of the fire, "they found a gasoline can in the wreckage—whoever did it must have counted on it burning or melting beyond recognition, but they were careless. I didn't get much, but there's a few days' worth of clothes for you both and some other things that you'll need."

He gave Akito two full shopping bags.

"I wouldn't put it past Ren," he sighed reluctantly.

"I wouldn't, either," Akito spat.

"What you did last night was very brave, Akito."

"I don't agree. I've never been so scared," he admitted, dropping his voice to a faint whisper.

"That makes you all the more brave," Hatori told him, "you didn't have to go back in there and no one would have faulted you for it. You saved two lives last night."

"I owed her," Akito said with a shrug, "at least we're square now."

After Hatori had gone, Akito went upstairs to take a shower. He still smelled of smoke and was eager to wash that away as soon as he could. The bathroom was small compared to the one at the main house, but at least there were two of them here and there was no pressure to hurry. The warm water slowly eased him into full wakefulness and he was in a much more pleasant mood by the time he dressed and combed out his wet hair.

Downstairs, he could hear singing. Someone had turned the radio on and Melody was singing along with it. Occasionally, he'd hear Shigure or Tohru join in. Someone dropped something with a loud clatter and they all cracked up.

"What is wrong with me today? I'm usually not nearly this clumsy," Melody sighed in frustration. Akito paused on the stairs.

"Your cheeks are all rosy, you're dropping things, and you're singing more than usual," Shigure pointed out, "I would venture to say that your problem's name is Akito."

Dead silence other than the radio. Akito smacked his forehead.

_You just had to say that, didn't you, you dumb mutt?!_

"I don't really think so," Melody argued, though she didn't sound very certain, "I just haven't had my coffee yet. And we did have a pretty rough night last night."

"I wish you could have seen the two of you curled up on that couch," Shigure persisted, "you actually inspired me."

CLANG!

Something hit the counter.

"I do wish you'd stop talking about that," Melody said, sounding vaguely annoyed, "he's upstairs, you know. He might hear you and I've upset him enough as it is. We're going to be in very close quarters and I don't want him mad at me."

"What would you like for lunch, Melody?" Tohru asked, helpfully trying to change the subject.

"Anything you make will be wonderful," Melody said, "although you must teach me how to cook. The last time I tried to make anything but coffee, I burned it to a crisp."

_Ah….so Little Miss Perfect isn't so perfect after all, _Akito sneered, _I was beginning to think there was nothing she couldn't do._

"I'd be happy to show you," Tohru said brightly, "and having an extra pair of hands will really help!"

"I'll make sure the fire extinguisher is filled," Shigure teased.

Melody cracked up when they started telling the story of how Kagura had been chasing Akito around and then trying to do things for him and ended up catching the kitchen on fire.

"Poor Kagura! I know how she feels!" Melody sighed, finally stirring the sugar into her coffee. Akito decided to make his presence known then.

"Good morning, Akito! Well, actually, it's afternoon, but I suppose it doesn't really matter," Tohru chattered as she brought the serving dishes to the table. She politely declined Melody's offer to help because Melody had broken a lot of dishes already. Still red-faced, Melody sat down and wouldn't make eye contact with anyone.

_What's wrong with me? I'm acting like a complete fool today,_ she thought shamefully, _first he had to go to all that trouble and risk his life hauling me out of the fire and now I'm messing things up left and right…_

She decided not to talk other than requesting that this or that be passed and ate quietly.

"Melody, are you feeling all right? You're awfully quiet," Tohru pointed out.

"My throat's a little sore from the smoke last night," she said quietly, "I shouldn't have sang so much earlier."

Akito almost said that it was a nice change, but he bit it back. Instead, he made a point of thanking the others. That was when Melody thanked him for hauling her out of the fire. He stayed quiet, not really knowing what to say. Then, Melody asked Shigure what book he was working on and the conversation went a little more smoothly. At last, the meal was over and Melody helped Tohru wash the dishes. Akito felt smothered in this tiny house and went outside. He felt a little bit better there—the wind was blowing even though it was warm. While the woods surrounding the house weren't nearly as beautiful as the gardens, it was something new to look at. He wandered around for a little bit, almost wishing he hadn't overheard the conversation earlier.

_I wonder if it's true what Shigure said, _he thought, _she has been acting awfully strange the last couple of days. But I'm the god of this family…who wouldn't want me? They'd have a lot of advantages. _

The truth was that he hadn't thought of girls much. They were always whispering, always giggling, and getting upset over the most trivial things. They were never happy with themselves and always seemed to complain about something. He thought they were a waste of time and space and some of them could be very mean and manipulative. Then they would grow into women…ugh…he despised women. He'd decided when he was very young that he didn't want anything to do with women after the way Ren had treated him. He was harder on women than he was on men. And then Tohru and Melody had come along…Tohru was like a chocolate with a diamond in the center. She appeared to be all soft and sweet and disgustingly mushy, but she had this unshakable faith in people underneath. And Melody was a lot like that as well…somehow, they'd both gotten to him.

So now what?

He examined his options. One, he could kick Melody out and force her to stay away despite the porphyria attacks. He knew he was going to die anyway, but his flesh cried out against that. Now that he knew he didn't have to live with that pain, he didn't want to go back to just trying to sweat it out while Hatori pumped him full of IV medicines. He could also just keep her at arm's length and hope she would eventually want someone else. Being the very jealous man he was, he really hated the idea of Melody with anyone—just as he did with any of them being with anyone. But would that not be better for her? It would be a challenge to keep her in his life without things getting complicated.

As he considered the third option, the wind suddenly swirled up around him, sending flower petals and leaves spiraling there for a moment. The idea made him feel cold and small and scared. His heart crashed against his ribcage as if trying to escape it. He remembered how Akira had been so affectionate to Ren despite how horribly Ren had treated him. He was always patient and kind and never snapped at her. Akito watched the flower petals dancing in the wind and thought: _I could never do that…_

Then, he remembered that he only had a short time to live. What would they do about that? Perhaps she could make the going easier, maybe even extend his time by a little bit, but there was no way she'd be able to break the curse. He'd die just as Akira had and she'd be alone again. It seemed as if his life had suddenly gotten much more complicated overnight. Why did he have to have that stupid dream?! For that matter, why had she cuddled up with him on the couch instead of using the other one? She'd have still been right there if he needed her. Instead, she'd twined her body around his as if they were lovers and rubbed her face in his chest as if she'd been doing it for ages. His first impulse was to be furious with her for doing this to him, but it faded quickly. The air left his lungs in an annoyed puff.

"I don't have time for this," he said out loud, "I have enough to deal with."

He crossed his arms over his chest. There was a presence there, though he knew he was alone. Feeling foolish even as he spoke, he said, "Why me? Why of all people would you do this to me? Haven't I suffered enough at your hands, if you're even real?"

Then, he sneered, daring it to answer.

"If you're real, show yourself to me, then."

The wind picked up and some dust blew into his eyes. Surprised, Akito staggered backwards and rubbed at them with the back of his hand. When he opened his eyes, everything seemed different, yet nothing looked different. The air felt different somehow…alive. It glided over his skin and through his hair, meandering like a living thing. It felt as if it had a breath of its own. The feeling of the presence grew stronger.

"I can see how the two of you are related," he said snarkily, "you both have a way of speaking in riddles!"

Something appeared at the edge of the woods. Akito, curious, moved towards it. He froze in place when the biggest lion he'd ever seen walked out of the cluster of trees. It was enormous—at least the size of a horse. Akito's heart was thundering as it drew nearer and nearer. He could see the golden hue of its eyes, the nostrils flaring as it breathed. The enormous paws could probably kill a full-grown man in one swipe. He hadn't a hope against this beast.

The creature opened its mouth and let loose a roar that shook the ground. All around him, Akito heard the cries of birds, wolves, and whatever else was in those woods answering it. Nothing scattered or fled; they seemed to know. The earth itself made a strange sound. The daylight seemed to grow stronger and the wind picked up, then died down completely. The lion came to a stop a few paces from Akito and tiled his head as if to say _Well, now what?_

He cautiously went closer. Curiosity overtook his fear now and one hand cautiously stretched out. As soon as his fingers made contact with the lion's fur, he cringed, waiting on the lion to take a chunk out of him.

"You're him?" Akito asked, feeling foolish. The lion gave a nod.

"You look…different…than last time," Akito blurted out. The lion almost seemed to smile.

Akito looked back towards the house.

"Why is this happening? I don't understand what we could possibly gain from suffering so much," he finally said. Though he'd been infuriated a moment earlier, he felt oddly calm. Then, something stung his leg. Akito let out a yelp and lifted the hem of his kimono. Embedded in his ankle was an enormous sticker. He hadn't seen the stupid weed plant there just a moment ago and it had caught there when he shifted. The lion dropped to all fours and stretched closer until his muzzle was pressing into Akito's calf. Though his teeth were enormous, scary, cruel-looking curved fangs, he pulled the thorn out as gently as if they had been human hands. It stung like crazy for a moment, but then the pain was gone. The lion exhaled a breath onto the broken skin and it healed instantly, the pain replaced by a pleasant cooling sensation.

Akito rubbed the spot where the wound had been just a second ago. He vaguely remembered how each time Melody had healed him, the pain had intensified the split second before it had gone away. The daylight seemed to grow more intense as he realized:

"The curse is going away, isn't it? That's why she's here and now you're here."

The lion's enormous head nodded.

Akito felt so many emotions overcome him at once. He glanced back to the house for only a second, but when he turned back around, the lion was gone and there was only a hollowed out space in the grass where he'd been sitting. Goosebumps emerged on his arms and legs…as big as that lion had been, it could have killed him. It could have swatted him, clawed him up, and even eaten him for his impudence, but he had not. Instead, it had helped him.

Akito wondered how long he'd been out here. Though it seemed he'd only just emerged from the house, he was ravenously hungry. It was also growing hotter and his mouth was drying out from thirst.

"Ah, there you are! We were deciding whether or not we should come and get you," Shigure said when Akito came inside, "you've been gone a long time."

Akito couldn't explain that it had only felt like a few minutes. His cheeks were flushed with sunburn and the good cold tea that Tohru had made felt good going down.

"Where's Melody?" he asked, noticing that she was missing.

"She's upstairs in Tohru's room getting settled in," Shigure answered, "did you need her for something."

"No."

Kyo, Tohru, and Yuki were playing some kind of card game. Shigure had gone into his "office" to write. Akito couldn't think of anything to do, so he just sat on the couch and brooded. After a while, his head tilted back and he fell asleep.

"Having him here makes me nervous," Kyo had admitted to Shigure, "I really hope the house is rebuilt soon."

"Yes…I'm afraid this is going to be harder on you and Yuki than anyone," Shigure said, "but we'll get through it one day at a time."

Yuki had hardly said a word to anyone since Akito's arrival and he'd stayed out of sight as much as he could. He'd tiptoed past Akito two or three times on his way in or out of the house. He didn't know what to do—he didn't want to stay gone and he didn't want to stay here. He almost had a heart-attack when Akito said without moving or so much as opening his eyes: "You're avoiding me, aren't you?"

POOF!

Akito raised his head to see a rat cowering in the collar of the white shirt where the human Yuki had just been. He reached inside and plucked Yuki-the-rat out easily. He could feel Yuki's heart thundering and the tremors that raced up and down his little body. Cupping his small, slender hands so that Yuki didn't feel so threatened, he held Yuki so that they were eye level with each other.

"I'm not going to hurt you, you know," Akito told him. Yuki didn't look convinced at all. Akito felt his tiny muscles twitching like springs that were compressed as far as they would go. The poor guy was ready to take off.

"It hurts that you don't trust me," Akito said quietly, "if I wanted to do something, I could have already."

It was true. Yuki shuddered, imagining the sickening thud he'd make as he was thrown against the wall or how easily Akito could break his neck. He thought he was going to faint.

"I can't say I blame you," Akito said finally, "I have been rather hard on all of you, especially you. Do you know what it's like to know that nobody will miss you when you're gone?"

Yuki stared, not sure what to think.

"No, I suppose you don't," he said finally, lowering Yuki to the arm of the couch and setting him down gently, "you'd have Shigure and Tohru and Melody and even Kyo though he won't admit it. Everyone likes you. You have the one thing I want and will never have."

Surprised, Yuki had stopped cringing. He tilted his head, wondering what Akito was going on about.

"It's always been easy for you," Akito finally said, "I saw those girls at school. I see how well you get along with everyone no matter what gender or what age. I wish I could be like that."

Akito rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was getting a headache.

"I don't suppose you can change back and tell me where the aspirin is," he sighed.

_Upstairs in the bathroom cabinet,_ Yuki said, stunned, _can't miss it._

Akito gathered up the clothes in one arm and picked Yuki up with his free hand. He placed both on Yuki's bed and was on his way out of the room when he turned back around.

"For what it's worth, I am sorry about all that."

With that, he closed the door. He heard the POOF as Yuki changed back, but he left him alone. He'd frightened him enough as it was. Oddly enough, he was as surprised as Yuki was about the apology, but he didn't regret it. Shaking the little white pills into his palm, he caught sight of himself in the mirror. Something had changed, though he couldn't put his finger on what it was. It was something invisible.


	15. Chapter 15

The guest room was small, but pleasant enough. Akito could tell that Tohru had at least had some input on the decorating since the walls had brightly colored prints on them. The bed wasn't as big as his old one, but then he was tiny anyway. He had put away his now scanty assortment of belongings and there were only small traces to show that he lived here now…at least for a few days. Twilight had fallen and now the world was fading to a soft blue-green. He stretched across the bed, yawning. Despite not waking up until two-something this afternoon, he was exhausted. His eyes kept closing. He jerked with a start when someone knocked.

"Who's it?" he mumbled sleepily.

"It's Melody. We're going to play a game downstairs—would you like to join us?"

"No thanks," he muttered, "I'm going to bed."

A pause.

"Good night, then. See you tomorrow."

"Good night…"

He heard her footsteps retreating and hauled himself off the bed. He stripped away the kimono and put on the pajama shorts and a T-shirt. These would be cooler than his usual robes, as the house was kind of warm. Then, he slid between the sheets.

This night, he dreamed again, but the dream was very different. He dreamed he was a child again, wandering through a garden. He must have been a very small child, as he spoke mostly in gibberish and took clumsy, toddling steps. Everything seemed enormous in comparison to him. The trees seemed to go on forever overhead and the grass and flowers seemed endless. He noticed his mother nearby and toddled towards her. She seemed to be unhappy about something, so he walked around picking flowers until he had a big armload of them. Smiling, he offered them to her, but she stood up and walked away from him. Confused, he ran after her, but tripped over something and he lost sight of her. Now, everything seemed different. It was dark now and something sinister seemed to be just out of sight. Then, child-like Melody emerged from the bushes. She offered her pudgy little hand to him. He placed his hand in hers and Melody led him away from the now scary place. They seemed to be almost to safety when a wolf jumped out at them. Both screamed and held onto each other, for they didn't think they could get away. Then, a lion appeared out of nowhere and fought the wolf until it gave up and ran away. Melody hugged the lion, giggling. When Akito opened his eyes again, the room was full of sunlight and he was a grown man again.

Sitting up, he rubbed his eyes and wondered if Hatori could give him something to keep him from dreaming so much. It didn't seem like a minute had passed since he closed his eyes, but it had been almost ten hours. His limbs felt heavy from oversleeping and he craved some of that coffee that Melody was always making. He got dressed and dragged himself downstairs. Melody was helping Tohru cook and the coffee pot sputtered and hissed as the coffee slowly filtered into the glass container. The kitchen was full of good smells and laughter.

"Looks like someone had a good night," Melody pointed out. There was a burst of chuckles.

"What?" Akito asked irritably.

"That's probably the best looking bed-head I've ever seen," Shigure teased, "it even beats mine."

He raked his fingers through his hair to make it lie flat. Wondering what a stupid dream would make him feel so self-conscious for, he poured himself a cup of coffee. It burned like Hellfire going down, but it certainly helped to wake him up. He leaned against the counter while he did so. Melody stirred her coffee as well. She was just about to say something when a bright flash startled them both.

"I hope you don't mind," a lilting sing-song voice said, "but I don't have many pictures of either of you for my photo album."

Akito lowered his cup and gave the picture-snapper a look that could freeze Hell itself over.

"Who invited him?" he asked menacingly. Ayame grinned.

"Nice to see you, too, Akito. As it so happened, our dear sweet little Tohru did."

He ruffled her hair, making her blush brightly. Yuki had been standing quietly in the background when Ayame turned to him.

"And there's my little brother! Not so little anymore…I do believe you've grown a little," he said warmly, squashing Yuki into what looked like a very uncomfortable hug.

"Why don't you sit down and let me get you a drink?" Melody suggested, artfully breaking the tension.

"Don't give him the coffee," Akito muttered, "he will never shut up."

"He never shuts up anyway," Kyo answered. The two of them actually shared a mutual grin at Ayame's expense.

"Cream? Sugar?" Melody was offering behind them, not noticing the exchange. As always, Ayame had a story to tell.

"There he goes," Kyo observed, "if you're the god, can't you tell him to shut up?"

"What for? Melody's the one who has to listen to him," Akito responded smugly. He chuckled, mildly amused, and took his place at the table. The phone rang and Shigure answered it. Immediately, he held it away from his ear as a high-pitched feminine voice shrilled at him.

"Who's that?" Melody asked.

"Shigure, are you still torturing that poor woman?" Ayame asked.

"What's he talking about?" Melody asked.

"Shigure's editor," Kyo chuckled, "he likes to torture her because it gets a rise out of her. I've lost track of how many times she's threatened to kill herself over it."

"Oh no…" Melody gasped.

"Relax, it's all part of their game," Kyo told her, "she's not really going to do it. They just like torturing each other."

Akito chuckled menacingly.

"Oh boy…there's that laugh," Melody muttered, "what did you do to her?"

"She came by the main house looking for him once," Akito smirked, "I had a little fun with her as well. I've never seen anyone go tearing out to their car as fast as she did."

"You're terrible," Melody said, but she couldn't keep from laughing. It wasn't the pretty little titters that most girls did—it was the lung-spasm-ear-splittingly-loud-laugh. And the worst part was that it was contagious.

Shigure returned to the table. He looked thoroughly amused.

"I really think she needs to take a vacation," he said, "I think she's working too hard."

"Shigure, why do you always torture her?" Tohru asked.

"Because it's fun. And because she always gets the pages on time anyway," Shigure said, "though I must warn you not to be surprised if she drops by here."

They started on breakfast then. Sure enough, Mitchan did stop by.

"SHIGURE!" her voice shouted as she burst through the door. Everyone laughed as he placed the envelope full of pages in her hand and one of the breakfast pastries in her mouth to shut her up.

"There," he said warmly, "you've got your pages and your breakfast all in one sitting. Have a nice day, Mitchan."

When everyone else went quiet, he came back in.

"Well, I _did_ have company this morning," he said, his dark eyes sparkling with mischief. Melody's eyes were dewy with tears from laughter.

"Well, I can see why you like it here so much, Tohru," she said when she'd recovered, "there's never a dull moment around these guys."

Melody again insisted on helping.

"Can we play with your games?" Shigure asked. Miraculously, her electronics had made it out.

"Sure," she said, "go on and get them."

"You just want to play that fighting game so you can see the half-naked girls!" Kyo accused him.

"Why, Kyo…that hurts my feelings," Shigure said dramatically, "that you would be so quick to assume that."

"Is it true?" Yuki couldn't help asking.

"Maybe…"

Akito shook his head.

"Now look what you've started," he told Melody.

"I didn't do anything," she said quickly, hoping that Shigure wouldn't do that.

After the dishes were washed, dried, and put away, Tohru went to start on the laundry. Melody watched the boys play their games for a little while. When Shigure and Kyo started playing, she was surprised when Yuki requested her presence outside.

"I'd be glad to help you out," she said of the garden. She was half-right: they were going to the garden, but Yuki had a different reason for wanting her there.

"I wanted to thank you for all that you've done for us," he said quietly, "Akito apologized to me last night."

Even Melody's wide green eyes betrayed her.

"He did?! Wow…"

"I overheard you talking to Tohru last night—I apologize about eavesdropping, but I heard you say that you didn't feel as if you were making much of a difference with Akito. Nothing could be further from the truth."

Melody couldn't help but smile.

"I'm sorry for entering your memories," she said, "it's a drawback of my gift. I don't mean to intrude on people's minds, but it just sort of happens. I become a part of them and they become a part of me. I also saw into Akito's memories as well…and I'm sorry for what has happened to both of you. I understand why it's hard to talk to me."

"It shouldn't be. Your gift saved us all the trouble of having to explain," Yuki said, kneeling among the vegetables. He was feeling a little nervous and pulling out the weeds even though they weren't much of a threat seemed to help.

"There's more," Melody said, kneeling in the grass beside him, "the real reason I came here was to break the curse. The real forces behind it have become aware of my presence. We will have to drive them out, but it will take all of us working together. Including Akito."

"How will you do it?"

"I'm not sure yet. My flesh limits me from seeing things that are usually really clear, but I can still see things the rest of you can't. And the house catching fire might have been a bigger blessing than a curse. There were…things…in there. These things are what's keeping the curse going."

"Are you trying to tell me that the Main House is haunted?" Yuki didn't really believe in such things, but then he'd seen his share of strange things lately. In a world where someone could turn into an animal just by being hugged, all logic got thrown out the window.

"In a way…" Melody replied, "but it's not so much the land and house itself—if that were true, you could all just live somewhere else and the curse would be broken. It's been carried inside of all of you for generations. The shape-shifting comes from something very dark and very sinister that goes all the way back to your family's origins. The very first Zodiac figures were good people—good people that got tricked into giving up a part of themselves because they wanted to help during the dark times. They didn't know what they were signing up for when they made that deal."

She couldn't figure out how to get to the point without sounding ridiculous.

"There's a demon that's causing it," she finally blurted out, "a few of them, actually. All the weaker ones are drawing their power from the strongest one. Akito sometimes sees them and they take advantage of him when he's sick because they know everyone just brushes it off as a fever dream or hallucination. But they're real."

Yuki stared at her with those big, troubled lavender eyes. He didn't know what to say.

"I used to hear whispers when I was alone in the cat's room," he explained, "but I always thought it was my imagination. It was always dark in there and I was always afraid, so I thought my mind playing tricks on me. I often felt watched in there."

Melody gave him a sympathetic look.

"If you ever see or hear anything strange or even feel that something is just 'off' somehow, you need to let me know," she said, "as long as Akito and Ren were doing what they wanted, they were content to leave you all alone. Now that things are changing, they'll be angry. Whatever happens, though, remember that Father is more powerful. He won't give us anything we can't handle."

She hadn't said a word to anyone about it, but she had watched from the window yesterday as Akito was talking with Father. Displeased that Akito was being swayed, the dark presence had passed through the house. No one else had really been aware of it, but she felt the dark, foreboding nausea that always came with them.

"You can't have him," she had said out loud, "we won't let you."

The presence was smug, taunting her. She looked in the direction she'd felt it in, but physically, she could see nothing but empty air. She wasn't fooled, however.

"You're only playing games with us because you've already lost and you're a sore loser," she had said.

Now, in the hot sunshine, it was hard for her to believe that had been just yesterday. For a while, she and Yuki worked in silence. Finally, he said, "Is that why Akito's been so mean?"

"Some of it, yes," she answered, "but a lot of it is that his upbringing wasn't the best. He has to learn everything now that all of you learned a long time ago, like how to trust. He never learned from Ren."

The work finished, they headed back towards the house. Making friends with Yuki would be a slow process because he'd learned to shut others out, but already he was healing because of Tohru. Maybe in the future, he and Akito could start over, not as "god" and "rat", but as man and man.

When they came back to the house, they found something they never expected. Shigure, Tohru, Kyo, and Akito were all playing the zombie game together. Melody put her finger to her lips and they crept in for a closer look. One of the Slimer zombies spat up a bunch of green goo, making Akito's screen turn to a sickly lime color. It was hard to see the zombies that were coming and Akito growled in frustration.

"You mangy mutt! You did that on purpose!"

Shigure chuckled.

"No, not really—you just happened to be standing too close when I blew him up," he said with a mischievous look. He yelped when one of the Strongmen seized him and started hurling him into the wall.

"Help me!" he yelped.

"Not my problem," Akito said smugly. Tohru was the one who ended up taking out the Strongman much to everyone's surprise. She'd been hard to teach the game to just because she didn't like the idea of hurting something that didn't even exist. Melody giggled, unable to help herself.

_I can't believe they're all in here together,_ she thought. She didn't realize she'd spoken out loud until Shigure turned around.

"Would you believe it was Akito's idea?" he asked.

"Of course it was my idea," Akito said, still clicking the buttons furiously as a horde came on screen, "I was bored and sick of all your perverted remarks about the girls in the other game."

"I only said how wonderful the variety of avatars was," Shigure began, but Akito bumped him in the shoulder without ever taking his eyes off the screen.

"Haven't you traumatized Tohru enough?"

Tohru was redder than an apple. Melody felt a sense of peace and joy come over her. They were actually spending time together willingly without her initiating it…

The rest of the day was actually quite smooth. Akito didn't talk much, but he did seem to be more interested in spending time with them. Maybe it was because the house was small enough that they couldn't really ever get away from each other. Melody wondered if he'd consider moving out here permanently. He might do better in a small group than a larger one. He was actually smiling a little more and once in a while, they'd hear a quiet chuckle. It wasn't until almost dinner time that they heard him laugh—really laugh—and of course, it was at Melody's expense.

Shigure had gone to take a shower. Melody and Tohru were in the kitchen. Akito was still in the living room, though he was debating on whether or not he could pilfer just a bite or two. Kyo and Yuki were outside, on the roof and in the garden respectively. Melody was just about to go and start getting them when Shigure turned around the corner. He hadn't tucked the end of the towel well enough and it snagged on something. Everyone turned around just as Shigure lost the towel. It was unfortunate enough that Melody was right there—close enough to bump into him. Akito had just opened his mouth to tell "that mangy mutt" to go put some clothes on when they crashed into each other. All too late, Melody realized that he didn't have any clothes on. Before she could back up, she'd lost her balance.

POOF!

A still-damp black dog was standing there. Melody's eyes were still huge and round. Shigure just wagged his tail, good-natured as always.

"Ooh! You were naked, so I shouldn't look," she said, covering her eyes, "but you're a dog now…I can't really see anything now, can I? Does that make it okay? Maybe I'd better not…uhm…"

Her confusion was what made it so funny. Akito cracked up. He'd heard the stories of how Tohru did this, but somehow, seeing Miss Calm and Collected get all freaked out was even better. His sides were starting to ache and he was beginning to wonder if anyone ever died from something like this. Still, he could not stop. Shigure sat where he was and watched. Melody's cheeks pinked even more, but she started laughing, too. They all did…it was hard not to. Who would have known that his laugh was this contagious? Maybe his emotions could spread through the bond as well.

Shigure trotted up the stairs, deciding that was the last time he'd stupidly forget to take clean clothes downstairs with him. The upstairs drain was plugged—he hadn't gotten around to fixing it yet and that was the only reason why he hadn't bathed up there. Kyo came in to ask what all the commotion was about. Akito finally collected himself and went into the kitchen with them.

Melody stole a glance at him now and then. There truly was nothing so beautiful as a person out of breath from laughter. Regardless of who they were or what they looked like, they always had the same expression: rosy-cheeked, dewy-eyed from tears of laughter, and slightly clutching their sides. This would be one of her favorite memories, she decided.

They all went to bed late after Melody had smuggled the Uno machine in and plopped it on the dinner table immediately after the meal was over. Worn out in a good way, Akito closed his eyes. He was sleeping quite peacefully and heavily with no dreams when he heard something. Mumbling in frustration, he sat up. It sounded like Yuki—only he was yelling in terror. He heard two and then three doors slam open and feet sprinting towards his room. Untangling himself from his covers, he joined them.

The door was open, but no one could seem to actually enter the room. It was as if there was an invisible wall there. Yuki seemed to be unable to wake even though they called to him. A sinister presence darkened the room.

"What's going on?" he asked Melody, still trying to wake up.

"I don't know," she confessed, "but we have to borrow your…uhm…abilities. Tell Yuki to come to us since we can't get to him."

She moved away and he stood squarely framed in the door.

"Yuki," he said firmly, "come here. Right now."

Yuki's body jerked as if he was having a seizure.

"Come on," Akito said firmly.

As if sleep-walking, Yuki lurched out of the bed, still half-tangled in his blankets. He hit the floor with a thud and was forced to crawl. His eyes were wide open, but they were blank and empty. Akito knew he wasn't seeing any of them. He paused a little at the door, seeming to struggle against the invisible barrier before he stumbled forward.

"What is it?" he asked again.

"Possession," Melody said grimly, "we have to break its hold."

"How do we do that?"

"I'm going to warn you that this isn't going to be pleasant," Melody told him, "take one hand and put it on Yuki's forehead. Now give me the other hand."

She placed her hand on his heart. She closed her eyes and was saying a prayer when the whole house shook violently. The angry presence intensified—it was furious.

"Here we go," Melody muttered just before everything dissolved into darkness.

He blinked.

"How did we get here?" he asked, puzzled. They were at the main house.

"We're not really here," Melody informed him, "it's inside Yuki's mind. We've gone inside to face the darkness ourselves."

She took his hand.

"I know this may not be comfortable," she explained, "but we cannot under any circumstances get separated. Don't let go."

Akito was puzzled. While they saw nothing outright scary, the house was dark and sinister.

"Why does it look like this?" he asked.

"Because the demon is making Yuki remember his worst experiences," she said grimly, "and it's feeding on his fear. We're here to stop it."

They went inside the house. Things seemed to be lingering in the shadows, watching and waiting. It seemed as if the darkness was alive, and for all purposes, it was. Akito kept waiting for something to happen in this cold gloominess. It finally did when they heard noises coming from the Cat's Room.

"How is that still there? I had it torn down," Akito said.

"It's still there in his mind," Melody told him, "and from the sounds of it, so are you."

There was a sickening slap as a whiplash hit flesh. Akito suddenly felt ill. He heard his own voice shouting at Yuki. He was embarrassed and didn't want to go in, but they had to.

Akito was stunned to see an exact replica of himself standing on the other side of the room. He glanced up when he heard the door rattle. Yuki lay crumpled on the ground as blood trickled from the lashes. He was crying and trying so hard to stop only to lose the struggle.

"M-Melody?" he asked shakily.

"It's us," she said to him, "the real us. And Father…though you can't see him right now. That Akito isn't the real Akito."

"He's not?"

"No. He's a demon that's stolen Akito's form, that's all."

The real Akito leapt between the fake one and Yuki just as he moved to strike again.

"No! You're not going to hurt him again!" Akito snapped.

"Oh? And what are you going to do to stop me?"

It stunned Akito how cold his voice sounded. He couldn't help but wonder if he sounded anything nearly as creepy as this guy. Melody hauled Yuki to his feet.

"Come on, Yuki. We'll get you fixed up in just a moment. You stay over here, all right?"

The demon shoved Akito and laughed when he landed on his butt.

"What? Did you think you really kept Yuki in line all those years? He's quite the free spirit when he wants to be. I was the one who really enforced it—it's you who should be thanking me."

"This wasn't what I wanted!" Akito snapped.

"Oh? Could have fooled me," the demon chuckled, "you were quite happy to let poor little Yuki live in fear of you. All the late nights, soaked sheets, panic attacks…"

Yuki's hands covered his face.

"Yes, and I was wrong," Akito said angrily, "now get out!"

The demon merely laughed.

"I suppose you're going to make me?"

He punched Akito in the jaw, sending him flying backward. Melody caught him and righted him.

"In the name of the Lord, I demand you to leave this man at once!" she said firmly.

The demon examined her carefully.

"Ah…Melody! The girl who always wants what she can't have."

He ran his finger under her chin and she backed away.

"If you think I'm going without a fight, you're sorely mistaken, Feather-Girl."

The demon Akito drew a sword from inside his kimono. Melody winced as it crashed into the wall behind her. She jerked away from him and slammed her fist into his gut. He dropped the sword, but his knee came up and caught her in the chin. The real Akito was just starting to think past the pain. He hurried to Yuki's side.

"Yuki, we need your help. We can't do it by ourselves—it's your mind he's taken over. Come on, Yuki, get up!"

Yuki looked at him, those big purple eyes full of fear and hurt.

"That thing over there is not me," Akito assured him, "this is the real me. I want to help you. I'm sorry I've caused you so much pain, but I can't make it up to you if you don't get us out of here."

Yuki slowly rose from his knees. Melody was getting clobbered—Akito could see that she was weakening. The Akito form that the demon had taken was revealing his true nature—he was becoming uglier and more corrupted. His voice was distorted when he spoke:

"That's right, Yuki, come and get me! Or are you too scared!"

Yuki jumped on him right after he'd knocked Melody down. When Yuki seized him by the throat, he said, "You leave her alone!"

He landed one hit, then another. The demon hissed angrily, but there was nothing more he could do. His true form had solidified; a creature that seemed to be made of nightmares. But Yuki was no longer afraid of him. He was getting tired, yes, and he was still quite sore from the beatings he'd suffered, but he would fight to his dying breath. Just as he felt that he had no more strength to give, he heard Melody whimper "Father…"

_Melody's real and she's done miracles…if she's real and Akito saw You, then You must be real as well…then You'd know that I really need some help right now…please…for them…_

The demon's smile died on his horrible, disfigured face as he stood over Yuki. He suddenly seemed to be fading. Yelling, he seemed to evaporate. All around them, the walls became illuminated until the light was blinding.

When he opened his eyes, the glow rapidly faded. Melody had pulled some sort of a black mist out of his body. She breathed on it and it let out an ear-splitting screech.

The real Akito looked very pale and fragile, but he was just tired and shaken after what he'd witnessed.

"It's gone," Melody told him.

"What's gone?" Yuki asked.

"Your curse. Watch."

She hugged him and he waited for the familiar POOF, but it never came.

"Tohru?"

Tohru hugged Yuki. Nothing happened.

"How…exactly?" Yuki asked, dumbfounded.

"You asked for Father's help," Melody said, "and the demons can't touch you now. You're His."


	16. Chapter 16

Melody took one last look around the room. There was no trace of her presence left behind—the small area that had served as her sleeping place was now just another empty patch of rug. Her suitcase was stuffed full and she'd had to sit on it to get it all the way closed. Her electronics were in a black duffel bag and placed carefully on top so that nothing would get jarred. Though she'd only stayed here for about a week and a half, she'd come to feel as if it was just as much her home as it was theirs. The others were just finishing up their breakfast; she'd barely eaten a thing.

"You'd think I'd be used to this by now," she muttered under her breath.

Today was the day—the day that she moved to the vacation home where all the hot springs were. Okami, Ritsu's mother, had already spoken with her on the phone. Akito had handed the phone to her after a vein in his neck started bulging dangerously—in his eyes, Okami and Ritsu were the two most annoying people in the world to talk to because they were very anxious and were constantly apologizing for the strangest thing. Melody had seen Ritsu before at the clinic, but there hadn't been as much time to talk as she'd have liked—they were especially busy that day. Now, at least, she could get to talk to him one on one. His anxiety seemed to be getting worse.

Akito passed by the open door, pausing to glance in.

"All packed?" she asked him.

"Yes."

It was the first time he'd ever done something resembling a chore on his own. Tohru had volunteered to do it, but the thought of some girl he didn't know very well handling his things made him feel weird. It seemed odd that he'd have this hang-up when maids were doing his laundry all the time.

"Are we riding together?"

"I'm not going," he said flatly, "it's just going to be you."

Her head tilted to the side.

"I have some things to take care of at the main house now that it's livable again."

She nodded. Then, she noticed something tucked under his arms.

"The box made it," she said in wonderment. He shifted it self-consciously to the other arm.

"You know, if you're here to show me miracles," he said, abruptly changing the subject, "you can get Ritsu and Okami to stop freaking out and constantly apologizing for weird things. Then I'd really be impressed."

"Is that why you aren't going?" Melody asked.

"That's part of it. I really do have other things going," he said truthfully. She got the sense that he didn't feel like talking, so she let him walk away. He crossed the hallway to his own room and quietly closed the door. His discomfort had not gone unnoticed. Melody knew all about this box—Ren had persuaded Isuzu to believe that there might be something in it to break the curse so that she would steal it. Akito had been infuriated though there was nothing in there but empty air at the time. Now, she mused, there was the diamond that she'd given him. There were also a few other things in there that he didn't know about…yet. She grinned, remembering her phone conversation with Hatori earlier. He'd added a few items to it at her request—she'd been working on this surprise for him for ages. In a moment, he would realize that the box had gotten heavier and actually look inside.

Once Akito had closed the door, he sat down on the edge of the bed. He heard things sliding around inside the battered, smoke-damaged box and was puzzled. Giving it a slight shake, he realized that there was more than just Melody's gift-gem. Lifting the lid, he saw a note there that concealed the other contents. In loopy, messy script that almost looked like a child's hand, it read: "Do not open until you get home!" This was followed by a hastily drawn smiley face. As he knew everyone's handwriting, he could only guess that Melody had written the note since he'd never seen it before. Temptation got the better of him, however, and he put it aside.

_Since I technically own this land and my name is both on the house and the property, I am home,_ he thought. Anyone who happened to walk in on him would have seen the mischievous grin—it was the same one he'd given Tohru the night that Kyo had changed into his true form. This one, however, wasn't nearly as chilling as the one that night had been.

The diamond, of course, was there. The bright daylight struck it and caused rainbow sparkles of light to splash all over the walls. Next to it was a very fat envelope; he dumped out the contents and saw that it was full of pictures. As he thumbed through them, he was puzzled. Who had taken them? The ones where they were all in a group, he understood, as he'd seen Shigure or one of the others occasionally snap one. Some of these, however, like the one with him talking to the lion, were taken as if there were a third person there that had somehow gone unseen.

About five or six into the stack, Akito groaned. Someone, probably Shigure, had taken a pictures of them on the couch together the night that the fire had happened. He was laying on his back and Melody was laying on her side. She had her head halfway between his shoulder and his chest and her expression was pure contentment. Akito had wrapped his arms around her at some point in his sleep. Anyone who didn't know them well could easily mistake them for lovers with an embrace like that. He thought of shredding the picture and throwing away the resulting pieces, but just as he positioned his fingers, he merely let the photo fall into his lap. He was too curious about the rest of the pictures to concern himself with that at the moment…

There was also the one that Ayame had taken. They had been leaning up against the kitchen counter with their coffee cups. Melody, of course, was always smiling. Akito noticed, weirdly enough, that he was almost smiling as well. Usually, he hated having his picture taken and would threaten bodily harm to anyone who tried to do it, but he'd been vastly ignorant of a lot of these. He noticed a couple of other things as well: his skin, of course, was pale, but it wasn't the same waxy, corpse-like complexion he usually had. He also didn't look quite so emaciated; it certainly said something for Tohru's cooking. She'd heaped on second and third helpings until Akito had thought he'd burst. Just as he contemplated how much he'd miss it, he came to the last picture in the stack.

It was an older photograph, judging by the coloring and the size. All of these others had been from digital cameras; this one was grainy-looking and done with actual film. It was a picture of the day he was born. Akira held him cradled in his arms. Akito's eyes had opened for a split second, just long enough for someone to snap this picture. Akira's nose, chin, and a few other little details were things that even the newborn Akito already matched on. There were a few deliberate mistakes; Akira had dark eyes while Akito's were the same blue-gray as his mother's and the forehead was differently shaped, but there was still no mistaking the resemblance. When Akito turned it over, he saw that someone had written the exact moment in time of his birth, his length, his weight, all the details of his coloring, and his full name. His throat constricted painfully, as another note in Melody's hand followed.

_Part of him will always be with you, _she had said, _and part of him lives on in you. Your life is an awful lot like this box—it will only stay empty so long as you choose to keep it that way._

"Melody," Shigure called in a sing-song voice, "your ride is here. Yours, too, Akito."

Akito descended the stairs. Though Yuki offered to carry his case for him, Akito politely declined and said he could handle it. It wasn't all that heavy. Melody was hugging them goodbye one by one. Despite knowing that they would still transform, they allowed it. Kyo only expressed a little minor annoyance. Shigure was grinning and was still smiling as much as a dog could even after he ended up in Melody's arms with a wagging tail. She kissed him on the forehead and he actually howled, making everybody give him a Look.

"Thanks for all the cooking lessons," Melody told Tohru, "now I can give Okami a break once in a while!"

"You're welcome. I'm really going to miss you, and it's not because of the extra help, I promise," Tohru said, laughing.

Melody and Akito walked side by side off the porch. The person driving the limo was just a hired employee, so Melody didn't recognize him. She waved to Hatori, who was driving his small black car. He returned the wave patiently while the suitcases were put away in the trunk.

"Well, I guess this is it," Melody said to Akito, "hopefully it won't be too long before we see each other again."

He couldn't really think of anything to say, so he just nodded.

_Oh, great…she's going to hug me again,_ his brain groaned, but he didn't protest out loud.

"Let me know if anything comes up," he said in her ear, "even if you think you can handle it."

"I will, thanks…"

They stood there in silence for a second longer. Then, Melody heard the trunk close. There seemed to be something else, but she couldn't think of how to say it. She wasn't really even sure if she wanted to. She suddenly felt odd and shy though she'd never felt that way before and her gaze dropped to his shoes. Then, she turned without speaking another word and got in the car. The spell was broken and Akito reluctantly slid into the backseat. The driver closed the door behind him and got back in. He watched until the hind-end of Hatori's car had turned and was out of sight.

_I wonder what her problem was…_

Ritsu stood in front of the bathroom mirror, running his fingers through his long golden-brown strands of hair. The gentle cinnamon-colored eyes were wide with anxiety and his heart felt like it was trying to escape his narrow chest. He hadn't gotten dressed yet—the truth was that he was stalling as much as he could. He was beyond nervous and only just managing to keep the panic attack at bay. One hand ran over the flat, narrow pane of his chest and his angular hip. It was so much easier just to pretend…there were nights when he was little that he actually prayed to God to make him a woman when he grew up, but no such luck. He had always had trouble accepting himself. And now, there was a stranger coming here. His mother, Okami, had always been just as nervous as him, but she was unbearable to be around in the last twenty-four hours. Akito's already limited patience usually stretched to its breaking point around the two of them and she was frightened of him being here. Ritsu hadn't seen very much of Akito over the course of his lifetime, but Akito was usually in a rage over something when they had met.

"Ritsu, you can't stay in there all day, you realize that?"

His mother's voice was slightly muffled by the locked door between them. Ritsu gazed at the folded pink kimono on the hanger for a moment.

"I'm sorry," he keened piteously, "I'm just…"

"I know. But we can't keep our guests waiting…"

He sighed, noticing how badly his hands were trembling. With some difficulty, he got dressed. This new medication that Hatori had given to him wasn't really working yet—it really bothered him that he wouldn't know for at least a month whether or not was helping. He fumbled with obi until he'd managed to get it tied securely. Then, he gulped and came out to face what he was sure would be a very trying day. Okami's nerves weren't really helping. She gave him a dismayed look, but said nothing. They'd had years of arguments over Ritsu's cross-dressing and it never seemed to do any good. Okami had come to accept her son for who he was, but she would always be fearful that Akito would not. His disdain for Ritsu had begun at a very young age and had only grown over the years.

The car pulled in. Ritsu thought he was going to pass out, but Akito was nowhere to be seen. So far, there was only Hatori and the one he presumed was Melody. His legs seemed to be turning to water. He exhaled a big breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and Okami gave his hand a squeeze. Both of their palms were damp and cold from the stress. While he'd seen Melody before, he hadn't really talked to her much. Despite Melody's protests, Hatori insisted on helping her bring her things in. The second they got through the door, Okami and Ritsu both started talking at once and very fast.

"It's nice to see you again, Melody," Ritsu's high-pitched voice said. She lost track of everything else after that and just smiled and nodded politely. Hatori managed to escape by informing them that he had a patient to go look after. He gave Melody a sympathetic smile as he got in the car.

She turned around to face the two of them.

"How do you both keep up with each other?" she asked, half-joking, "I feel like I'd need some more coffee just keep track of what you're saying."

The next thing she knew, both had sprinted into the kitchen. Feeling slightly guilty, she hurried after them.

"Wait! I was just joking!"

After several unnecessary and nerve-grinding apologies, Melody finally got them both to sit down at the table with her.

"Whew…that's better," she said, stirring the sugar into her cup, "I would like to get to know you both better, but I can't understand you when you get so excited. I remember you, Ritsu—you've had a couple of check-ups at the main house. I'm guessing this one is Mom?"

"Okami," she said finally, "and you must be the Melody everyone's been talking about. It's a lovely name."

"Thank you. So…tell me a little about this place. The gardens here are quite beautiful."

"My father runs the business end of it," Ritsu finally said, "and my mother runs the spa. I take care of the flowers and help out with whatever I can. If I ever learn how to deal with stress more easily, I could help more."

"That would be nice," Melody agreed, "though it's hard to imagine anyone being stressed out in a place like this. Is that new medicine helping at all?"

Ritsu looked down at his hands.

"Not yet," he said, unsuccessfully trying to hide his disappointment, "but Hatori says we'll know in a few weeks."

Melody caught a glimpse of shiny scar tissue on his wrists. Acid boiled in her stomach. Some of the wounds were old, but she noticed a few fresh marks there as well. Before he realized she'd seen, she took both of his hands in hers. He began to tremble as her thumbs gently passed over the marred flesh.

"You have very beautiful hands," she told him gently, "it would be a shame to keep marking them up like this."

"I'm s—"

"Shhhhhhh," she whispered, placing a finger on his lips, "I don't want any apologies the entire time I'm here, all right? You've got nothing in the world to be sorry for. That goes for you, too, Okami. It's hard to get to know someone when every other word out of their mouth is 'sorry'. All right?"

Mother and son glanced at each other with big eyes.

"Now," Melody said, her voice warming, "why don't you show me around? There's a lot of exploring to do and only so much daylight."

Okami wanted to make sure that lunch was ready on time, so Ritsu volunteered to be the "tour guide". He helped her carry her things to the room where she'd be staying, then showed her around the house. Then, they began to walk through the gardens around the hot springs.

"These are so beautiful," Melody observed, "did you do all this landscaping yourself?"

"Not all of it," he confessed, "mostly I came up with the arrangements and the workers my father hired did the actual work."

Melody examined the flower beds more closely. Orange, gold, purple, and pink. The different flowers were just similar enough in their needs that they wouldn't choke each other out, but different enough that there were species blooming for each season.

"You have a great eye for color," she told him, "do you use this gift for anything else?"

His face flushed very red.

"Sometimes I help Ayame out," he confessed.

"You should do it more often when you aren't busy here," Melody told him, "it sounds like a lot of fun."

She gestured to his outfit.

"Like this," she said, "you're probably good at finding what looks best on everyone else."

"I wanted to be a makeup artist when I was younger," he blurted out, "for plays and movies. But my parents didn't really feel like that was the best path for me to follow. They wanted to keep me here to help out."

Suddenly embarrassed, he clamped both hands over his mouth. He truly hadn't meant to complain—and now Melody might think poorly of him, maybe even tell Akito…

"I—"

He paused, remembering her forbidding him to apologize. Instead, he said, "I truly didn't mean to complain…"

"There's a difference between expressing your opinions and complaining," Melody said calmly, "it sounds to me like you've never been taught it."

He was pale and a thin sheen of sweat shone on his face. She took his hands gently in hers. He heard what sounded like a chant or a prayer in another language and a strange, unfamiliar calm washed over him. His heart rate slowed, as did his breathing. It was as if she was drawing his fear out through his palms.

"How…how did you do that?"

His voice was no longer high-pitched. In his calm, he actually spoke the way he would ordinarily sound. It was his real voice—the voice of a man.

"You've never felt real calm, have you?" she asked.

Ritsu looked down at her hands still holding his.

"I can't really say I have," he admitted sheepishly, "I try all the time to keep from worrying Mother, but it never quite works out."

"And then you get even more nervous," Melody observed, "if I put that much pressure on myself, I might be a little jumpy, too. I want you to focus on what this feels like. No churning belly, no thundering heart, no ragged lungs. Close your eyes and just feel it."

He did. The tightening sensation that was usually around his middle had loosened up. He didn't feel like he was going to vomit or pass out.

"Now, next time you get upset, I want you to focus on that," she told him, "I want you to remember how everything feels and try to think about nothing else."

Strangely, he felt much better. When he tripped over a rock, he simply laughed it off. This no-apologies thing was nice. She helped him up. He showed her the rest of the grounds. By the time they reached the dining room again, they were both ravenously hungry. Melody asked a lot of questions and made a lot of jokes. Okami even seemed to be relaxing just a little bit around her and Ritsu really seemed to have relaxed. In one day, she'd done what years of counseling and medications and even hospital stays had not done. That all by itself won her some points in Okami's eyes.

Sometime in the afternoon, Hatori called to check on things. Melody, much to his relief, was the one who answered the phone.

"Everything's fine here," she said, "Ritsu took me around the whole place—I can see why this was the chosen vacation spot. For some odd reason, it makes me think about home even though I can't remember it."

"I'm glad things are going well," he said genuinely, "how is Ritsu doing? Are there any side effects from the medication?"

"None that he's told me about," Melody answered, "I'm not sure if it's really kicked in yet. I think a lot of his problems may be emotional. I told him and Okami that they were forbidden to apologize for anything whatsoever while I'm here. It's killing them…" she couldn't help but chuckle.

"Sounds like you have your work cut out for you."

Hatori remembered the troubling account that Yuki had given him.

"Melody…is Ritsu like Yuki?"

"What do you mean?"

"Whatever it is that was hurting Yuki…is there one in Ritsu?"

"Possibly," she admitted, "I can't say for certain if each one is a separate entity, but my gut tells me that they are and that each one of you will have your turn to face them. I was sort of hoping I could break Ritsu's next, as it's affecting his physical and emotional health, but this one's wary of me…more wary than Yuki. I'll have to have some help when the time comes."

"Akito said that he helped you last time," Hatori half-asked half-stated. His tone was dark, and she detected the faint undercurrent of fear in his normally calm voice.

"Yes. I will have to have him help me, as he's the only one who can force Ritsu to come to me or back down should the…thing…attack. It's part of the curse, but it's one that we've used to our advantage."

Hatori didn't like the sound of that at all and he found himself wondering what would happen to him when the time came. For that matter, what would happen to all of them? Kisa? Hiro? Isuzu? Shigure? The list went on and on.

"I know you're afraid," Melody told him, "I know you're all afraid and I don't blame you one bit. You're dealing with something you neither know or understand and the unknown is terrifying. But what you have to trust is that these things can't keep you down. They can only scare you and make you believe they have power over you. As soon as you stop feeding it, they'll lose their grip and go away."

For all their sakes, he sincerely hoped she was right.

"Will you be in this evening? Akito will want to talk to you, I'm sure," he said finally.

"Yes, I'll be here. We're just all getting to know each other for now."

She wondered if it was about his box, or if he wanted to talk about something else.

The evening was slow in approaching. The sun had already set and dinner was over by the time the phone rang again. She told Okami that she was expecting this call and that she'd pick up. As soon as she snatched up the receiver, the familiar quiet and dark voice graced her ears.

"Melody?"

"Yep. It's me."

She could hear his soft breath on the other end. The phone cord rattled; she could tell he was fidgeting with it.

"Where did you get all this stuff?"

"The others found the older pictures when they were picking through the ruins," Melody said truthfully, "and the newer ones were ones we took. Shigure had multiples made."

"Oh."

Another moment of quiet.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

He sounded different, though she couldn't put her finger on how.

"Hatori tells me that we may have another…demon…to deal with," Akito finally blurted out, "is that true?"

Melody looked around, a force of habit more than any actual fear.

"It's a possibility," she said quietly, "it hasn't shown itself yet, but I wouldn't assume it isn't there yet."

"Will you need my help again?"

"Most likely."

Another bout of fidgeting with the phone cord. Was he nervous? If so, what specifically about?

"Let me know if something happens," he said, "I can drive myself out. I've done it before. It doesn't matter when."

"Okay. Thank you. How's the house coming along?"

"The rebuilding's nearly finished. The fire didn't actually spread that far—that in itself was a miracle. Your room had to be replaced, as did mine. The rest was largely cosmetic. No one's heard from _her_. We're counting our blessings, though…"

Fidget.

"It's been very quiet here," Akito said, trying to sound casual, "I've gotten used to noise."

Melody grinned, feeling her cheeks warm.

"In other words, Yuki and Kyo always arguing and wrecking the other house," she laughed, "and Shigure and the video games, right?"

He made a noncommittal noise.

"If the quiet starts to be too much, you could keep a radio going," she advised him, "that's what I always do. Or you could come and join us anyway."

Fidget, fidget.

"Maybe once things are settled here."

"How's your health? Any more attacks?"

"Not recently. I hope it stays that way. Hatori's always pestering me to eat, saying that not having enough carbs will cause it. I do it to shut him up."

"Let me know if you start feeling bad again, okay? Like you said, it doesn't matter what time. The longer you wait, the harder it is on me."

While he was sure that was true, he knew that she had a tendency to worry. She wouldn't want him to suffer.

"I have to go now," he mumbled, "please be careful. I know how trusting you are and it's going to get you into trouble someday."

"I have Father."

"I know…just do it for me, all right?"

He sounded irritated, but she caught the undercurrent of worry in his voice.

"I will."

No fidgeting this time. Just a strange, oppressive silence. The pressure seemed to build inside of her until she suddenly blurted out something she never thought she would say: "I love you."

There was a loud clatter as the receiver dropped to the floor.

"I….I mean I love all of you," Melody stammered, feeling her heart start to thunder and her hands and feet go cold, "….Akito? Are you still there?"

Silence.

Melody asked his name a few more times, but there was no answer. The line had gone dead. She shakily placed the phone back on the cradle.

"What have I done?" she wondered, near tears.


	17. Chapter 17

Akito stared, wide-eyed and furious, at the phone laying in the floor where it had fallen. He was looking at it as though it were a rabid pet that had once been gentle. The blood had completely drained out of his face and his limbs were chilled. When Hatori came in to see what was going on, he actually thought Akito was ill. Before he had a chance to hold Akito's wrist to check his pulse, Akito slapped his hand away with ten times the force that was necessary.

"Don't touch me."

Hatori gave him a half annoyed, half questioning look. Noticing the phone in the floor, he picked it up and put it back in its proper place.

"Does this by any chance have something to do with Melody?" he asked calmly.

Akito turned abruptly on his heel and stalked away. There was a crash out in the hallway.

"I wonder why we ever bother with vases, pots, glass, or anything else breakable," he wondered out loud. He recognized this particular set of sounds: his young charge was throwing a tantrum. He was halfway tempted to call Melody back and see what was going on, but he knew better than to interfere. If he was this angry now, he would surely be even angrier if anyone else got involved. Still, though, this raging around the house couldn't be good for his health. There was a pained roar from a bigger distance away and Hatori drew in a long breath.

_Well, there's my cue to go and get the antiseptic and the gauze, _he thought, resigned, _it's a very good thing I'm not an alcoholic._

He still pondered a glass of sake or two later on. For now, he followed the noise down the hallway to Akito's room. He hadn't even been here twenty-four hours and he was already breaking things. What a way to settle in…

"Let me see," Hatori said firmly, seeing the shards of some kind of vase in the floor. The dark red shine on Akito's hand gave it away. At first, he resisted, but Hatori calmly tugged his arm out.

"You really should consider plastic pottery if you're going to keep this nasty little habit up," he said in a very fatherly voice, "I'm surprised you have any skin left on your hands."

"Hatori, just shut up," Akito said through gritted teeth. Hatori ignored him and began to clean out the cuts.

"If you had a fight with Melody, that's really not the end of the world," Hatori continued, wincing when he realized there was still a bit of glass in the wound.

"I didn't fight with her!"

Ah. Now they were getting somewhere. Hatori took a pair of narrow medical tweezers out of his first-aid kit.

"Then what could she have possibly said that made you so angry?"

"It's none of your damn business!"

Hatori gently pried out the glass. It was bigger than he expected, but Akito made no indicators other than a tiny twitch in his face to indicate that it hurt. He was probably so lathered up with adrenaline that he didn't feel it. It was only when Akito saw the bloodied shard laying on a tissue that he even registered how deep the wound was.

"You can tell me, you know," the patient dragon-doctor said, "I know you literally inside and out."

The fire was out of his gaze for now, but the dark moodiness had settled there instead. He hissed in pain as Hatori poured more antiseptic over the cut. All at once, he wished Melody was here so that they didn't have to do this the old fashioned way. But then again, would he really be comfortable around her ever again? Hatori reached for the gauze.

"You're very lucky. Any deeper and this would have needed stitches."

"Just stop it," Akito growled, "stop telling me how lucky I am."

Hatori said nothing as he unwound the soft cloth-like bandage around Akito's small hand.

"Melody is an idiot. More than that…she's a liability. I wish I'd never let her stay here. Even if it did kill me."

The jade-colored eye that was showing stared hard into Akito's own dark ones.

"Why the sudden change of attitude? A couple of hours ago, you actually admitted to missing her."

Akito looked down now at his gauze-wrapped hand.

"I wish all it had been was a fight," he admitted, "at least then I'd know what to do."

He couldn't say it.

"I know," Hatori said finally, understanding, "she went to a lot of trouble to get all those pictures for your box. It was the way she looked at them that gave it away…not that I didn't see it coming. It was all little things—tiny details that we all noticed and you didn't."

"I wish I knew why the memory-wipe didn't work," he muttered.

"Even if it did, is that really what you want? You've been pushing people away all of your life. You may have been ill a lot, but that doesn't mean you have to be lonely."

"Yes, it does," Akito said sourly, "why bother to do it when it will just cause pain when I'm gone?"

"Is that what you're really worried about? Or are you just afraid of taking a risk yourself?"

The look on Akito's face told him that he was really putting his neck out. Akito's cheeks had grown hot red with fury and his whole body was rigid.

"Get. Out."

Hatori said nothing, just gathered up his supplies and left him there to seethe in private. Akito threw some other object at the closed door behind him, but he couldn't even remember what it was later on. Laying down on his new bed, he said some rather unflattering things about Melody for making him this angry in the first place.

_She knew how it would affect me…_

He let his eyes slide closed. Trying to focus on getting the tension out of his neck to stave off the incoming migraine, he wondered why Melody would do this to him. She had once said that all she wanted was for him to be happy, right? Maybe he should tell her that he would be happy if she would just go away.

He opened his eyes again and stared at the ceiling.

"It's not true…" he sighed irritably. He'd lied to plenty of people in his lifetime, but doing it to her seemed wrong for some odd reason. He even knew the face she was making when he'd dropped the phone. Those green eyes would be wide and frantic and probably shining with embarrassed tears. The blue-black hair would be disheveled and probably sticking out every which way. What would happen next time they saw each other? Would she be a bit more subdued as she had been at Shigure's? Or would she be more energetic the way she was with the kids? The fact that he didn't know really bothered him.

"Ugh…"

He stood and began to pace.

_I don't want her…she's too cutesy. She's annoying. She makes me sick with all her goody-sweet behavior…just once I'd like to see her so angry that she acts like me…_

A chilling grin spread over his features.

_I couldn't break little Miss Perfect, Tohru, but this one…yes, this one I will break. And I can finally see how much of a so-called "angel" she really is._

He thought he saw something move out of the corner of his eye, but when he turned and looked, there was nothing there. Mumbling about how her nonsensical talk of demons was making him jumpy over nothing, he changed out of his black clothes and got in bed. He wasn't prepared for the nerves of finally spending another night here and it took a long time for him to fall asleep. When he did, he woke up even crankier because he'd dreamed about Melody.

"How long has he been like this?" Shigure inquired casually.

"Since he called Melody at the vacation home three days ago," Hatori said, reaching for another cigarette. He didn't often chain-smoke, but he had to have help to calm his nerves. He, Shigure, and Ayame were out in the gardens. Akito was inside the house, but as noisy as he was being, he didn't sound that far away. No one could seem to do anything right in his presence and he'd been behaving worse than he ever had. When he wasn't throwing a tantrum over something small, he was holed up in his room, brooding.

"What did she say that made him so unglued?"

"I truthfully don't know. He won't tell me. He won't talk to anyone," Hatori said, "but it's truly shaken him. I haven't seen him this enraged since Tohru came to visit."

"Sounds to me like our little Akito is having some growing pains," Ayame said with a mischievous grin.

"He could be right," Shigure said, "Melody seems to have a…unique…effect on him. Every time someone's shown him any compassion, he frightens them away."

"That girl's got her work cut out for her if that's really the case…"

Meanwhile, Akito stood leaning in the doorway for support. His dark sapphire eyes were stormy and wild. His cheeks were flushed with fury and he was shaking from head to toe. The veins on the back of his hands stood out sharply as he gripped the frame hard enough to splinter it in a couple of places. The remains of some pot or vase—it was hard to tell which—were scattered all over the floor in front of him. He was breathing so raggedly that he would actually start coughing from time to time.

"WHAT?!" he wheezed when he saw two large tawny eyes looking up at him. Kisa's eyes wandered from him to the broken pottery, then back up to his face.

"Akito-sama…you're bleeding," she said quietly.

Akito glanced at his injured hand. He hadn't even realized he'd hurt it. It left a smear of blood on the golden wood when he released his white-knuckle grip on the door frame. Something about watching his life force draining out of the tear in his pale skin and falling to the floor drained the fight right out of him. He gave an exhausted sigh and his shoulders slumped. Kisa nudged all the glass shards away with the toe of her shoe and ventured up closer to him, a risk she'd never been bold enough to take before.

"I miss her, too," she said quietly, "we all do. We'll be glad when she can come back."

_Pttt. Pttt. Pttt._

The blood hitting the floor was the only sound he heard at first. Then, his maddened heartbeat. Then the air that was calming to a soft whoosh in and out of his lungs from the ragged wheezing that had happened earlier.

"She isn't coming back," Akito said flatly.

"Why not?"

"Because I forbid it."

"Why? You like her."

The expression on his face told her that she was on very dangerous ground, but she wouldn't back down this time. The little tigress inside her, the true Kisa, squared her shoulders and said, "You don't always have to be afraid, you know. Somebody once told me that you don't let us love people because you don't know how and you never have. You're lonely—and you're doing it to yourself."

He lunged at her and she turned around and calmly walked away.

"I'll get Hatori," she said quietly.

Akito's rage returned.

"How dare you!?" he roared, but she had already gone around the corner.

When Hatori came inside, he saw the maid sweeping the glass up and the trail of blood droplets that led to Akito's room. Akito was sitting on the side of his bed, head in his good hand. The injured one lay in his lap. He didn't say anything as he cleaned out the wound. He gave a sympathetic noise when he discovered a shard of glass still embedded there.

"I'm sorry," he warned, "but—"

"Just take the damn thing out and get it over with!" Akito snapped.

He did. Akito hissed in pain, but the ruby-colored object was now free.

"You're very lucky—any deeper and that would have needed stitches."

"Don't tell me how lucky I am."

"Would this have anything to do with your conversation with Melody?"

He waited for Akito to explode, to strike him like he had in the past. But Akito's gaze merely slid down to the floor. The furious young man evaporated, replaced by a boy—a scared boy at that. It was an invisible change to anyone else, but Hatori knew him better than anyone else did—literally inside out.

"I hate her," he said venomously.

"Why? The two of you were getting along very well a few days ago."

"I just do."

Hatori finished cleaning out the wound and began to bandage it up.

"I only remember you acting this way for this long of a stretch one other time," he said, "it was the day you found out about your portion of the curse. I remember how furious you were then—but you were crying when you thought no one was watching. You were afraid then."

He tucked the ends of the gauze in neatly.

"That stupid girl…everything was fine until the last thing she said," Akito complained.

"What did she say?"

Akito swallowed, trying to dislodge the lump in his throat. It felt like trying to swallow a ping-pong ball, maybe something bigger.

"She said she loved me. Then she backpedaled and said that she loves everyone, but she's not fooling me. That wasn't her intention."

_I suppose Ayame was right…even I didn't see this one coming…_

"Why would that make you so angry?"

Akito looked down at his now-bandaged hand.

"You know why. You know damn well why!"

His voice cracked on the last 'why'. Visions of the dying Akira, of each and every person he'd been so desperate to hold onto that he'd hurt them, and finally of Hatori himself lying broken and near-dead on that stretcher. Then, there was Melody herself, beaten and nearly raped.

"It doesn't always have to be like that," Hatori told him, hearing Akito's breath stick halfway up his windpipe, "you know it doesn't. It's a big risk, but not without reward."

"I can't…" his voice was little more than a whisper.

"How do you know? You've never tried," Hatori reminded him gently, "she came to you for a reason. You know Melody—she's as genuine as it gets. If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out. But you can't let this curse always get in the way. I was fortunate enough to find my spring time—now it is your turn."

His voice was warm and compassionate, reminding Akito of Akira, which made him all the more upset. The first tear that had fallen in over ten years streamed down his cheek.

"We can't help you if you don't talk to us," Hatori told him, "I know you've been through a lot in the short time you've lived. So have we—but there's a reason that there are thirteen of us. It's so we don't have to go through it alone."

He placed his hand on Akito's back. The shaking slowly subsided.

"Do you ever miss Kana?" he asked abruptly.

Hatori was vaguely surprised at the question—and even more surprised that Akito actually remembered and used her name instead of just a demeaning "that woman".

"Every day," he said truthfully, "but I don't live in the past. Those days are long gone."

Akito was thinking of what Kisa said earlier.

"I'm sorry that I made you give her up," he said quietly, "I was afraid…afraid that all of you would find someone and I wouldn't…and that I'd be alone just like Ren said…"

He dried his face with his sleeve. He didn't look at Hatori, for he knew the shock that would be there. Akito had never in his history apologized to anyone for most of his life, but now he'd done that twice in the last month. He knew he could never make up for the things that he'd done.

"She's found happiness," Hatori said, "and that's all I could ever want for her. But thank you."

They sat side by side, not as "god" and "dragon", but as more father and son. Somewhere in the house, the phone rang. One of the maids reluctantly knocked on the door.

"It's for you, Akito-sama."

_What an impeccable sense of timing you have, _Akito thought sourly. He rose, tired and with a massive headache, and glanced over his shoulder at Hatori.

"I'd rather the others didn't know about this," he said quietly.

"You have my word, as always."

He went to answer the phone. Hoping his voice didn't betray the earlier torrent of emotions, he said calmly, "Yes?"

"It's time," Melody's tense voice said, "if Hatori can come, I'd appreciate it. This one's gotten quite violent and I had to lock him in a closet for the time being—I feel really bad about it, but he hurt Okami and he almost hurt me. It would be easier to clear the thing out if we could sedate him."

"I'll tell him."

"Akito, I'm sorry about-"

"Never mind that. We have more important things to do. We're coming."

He hung the phone up.

They arrived and an exhausted and terrified-looking Okami answered the door. She went a few shades paler when she saw Akito, but he ignored her. There was a thumping sound from upstairs and they found Melody with her back to the door. It was shuddering violently and some of the wood was actually cracking—it wasn't a very strong door. She looked a little worse for wear—her hair was messier than usual and there was a nasty scrape on her cheek. Bruises trailed down that side of her face and continued down her neck. Hatori readied the syringe. In silent agreement, they moved in unison. Melody eased away from the door and opened it. It sprang open and Ritsu had just stepped out when six hands grabbed him. Hatori was so skilled at giving injections that it took only a second to find a vein and stick it. Ritsu went limp and fell forward.

"Whew…thanks for that," Melody said as they lowered him to the floor, "I was getting clobbered."

"What exactly happened?" Hatori asked.

"It looked and sounded like a panic attack—but it was different. He wasn't himself. When I went to heal him, he burned me."

She showed them the angry red fingerprints on her arms where he'd grabbed her.

"Scared his mother half to death—I had to tell her to go downstairs or else. The truth was that she was making me really nervous, too," she admitted.

They knelt next to the unconscious Ritsu.

"Is there any way that I can help?" Hatori asked, uncertain of what to expect.

"Yeah. If anything goes wrong—if we say or do anything strange—shoot us both up," Melody told him, "that way it doesn't spread."

Hatori decided against pointing out that this already sounded strange to him, but he simply nodded. Akito's reluctance to take her hand was noticeable, but she didn't comment on it. The darkness shrouded them, just like before. When they emerged, they were in a white tiled hallway.

"No," Akito protested. He could already feel his heart start to pound. Melody gave his hand a squeeze. Already, his palm was damp.

"It's all right," she told him, "I'm here."

He yanked his hand out of her grasp.

"I know about your nerves with hospitals," she explained, "I could see it when you were there visiting me. But this isn't real—it's just a part of Ritsu's mind."

Akito crossed his arms over his chest.

"Why is it a hospital?" he demanded.

"Hatori said he'd been hospitalized in the past," she said sympathetically, "sometimes it was because the anxiety and depression had physical consequences as well as emotional ones. And…I'd imagine those marks on his wrists had something to do with it as well."

Akito's expression darkened.

"I knew it was bad, but that…why didn't he say something?"

"He carries a lot of shame," Melody said as they started down the hallway, "and he's terrified of you. He's terrified of disappointing you, of everyone. He puts a lot of pressure on himself because he isn't what everyone says he should be. That shame has finally reached its boiling point."

Pasty-faced patients and doctors were appearing.

"Who are they?" Akito asked.

"Memories," Melody said, "notice how some have faces and some don't?"

He almost jumped out of his skin when he saw a faceless patient going by.

"Let's hurry up and find that demon and get out of here…a regular hospital is creepy enough…but this…ugh…"

"If this is anything like a regular hospital," Melody said, steering him past a faceless doctor wheeling a gurney by, "and if this is anything like it might be in the real world, it's probably holding him in the psychiatric unit."

Akito tried not to think about his surroundings too much. While he'd been reluctant to confront Yuki's demon, he was ready for this one. They wouldn't be able to get out of here fast enough for his taste.

"I wish there was some kind of map," Melody sighed, "I don't know where we're supposed to go."

Ritsu's high-pitched scream sent them running.

"Let's use the stairs," Melody suggested, "I don't want to risk those elevators."

"You just said this isn't real," he protested.

"I said the hospital isn't real," she told him, "that doesn't mean we won't get hurt if we take unnecessary risks. Besides, I don't know that there's only one."

The climb up the stairs was just as strenuous as real life. Akito, though very thin, wasn't in the best shape. He paused at the top of the stairs, panting. Melody waited for him to regain his breath in silence. Though she wanted to continue forward, she didn't want to risk leaving him behind. Ritsu's screams came again, but they were much louder now.

"Well, this is definitely the right floor," Melody pointed out, "I think he's at the other end of this hall."

Things looked more sinister here. There were noticeable signs of decay: part of the ceiling had fallen in, the lights were flickering, and paint was peeling off the walls. Rusted wheel chairs, bedframes, and gurneys, were laying overturned in their path. Smears of blood, old and rusty brown, stained the treacherous floor. Melody almost fell through it in one place and managed not to only by holding onto the cross-bar of one of the beds.

"Be really careful up here," she warned Akito as she righted herself. They started staying close to the walls, as the footing was less dangerous there. The closer to Ritsu they got, the worse the condition of the building seemed to be.

"Isolation cells," Melody pointed out, gesturing to the row of doors ahead, "it sounded like he's in one of them."

The doors each had a small window, not enough to view a person's whole face through. They also had slits at the bottom where food trays could be slid underneath. When they finally figured out which one Ritsu was in, they were dismayed to find the door locked.

"Don't worry about me! She's coming!" Ritsu yelled.

"Who?" Melody wanted to know.

Akito's hand landing on her shoulder and jerking her around gave her the answer. The hallway lights were exploding one by one in a shower of sparks. Coming in the shadows, she could see a dark shape moving towards them. The figure seemed to be staggering, its limbs jerking and twitching awkwardly. As it drew closer, a nasty wet squelching sound accompanied it. Akito placed a hand over his mouth to keep from throwing up. When they finally got a good look at what he supposed was the demon, he felt even sicker. She was dressed in a filthy, ragged hospital gown that had been torn in several places. Where her flesh showed, there were also gash-marks that exposed some of her organs. The smell of decay was overwhelming. Her long, black stringy hair was matted with blood and her skin was so pale that it made her eyes look even darker in comparison. She grinned sinisterly when she saw Melody.

"Give me that key," Melody demanded.

The demon shook her head and smiled tauntingly. Just as Melody stepped forward to try and take it, the demon disappeared.

"Oh, no…not one of these…" she muttered. Akito yelled when something tightened around him—he felt blood soaking through his shirt and started trying to escape the creature's grip. Not only was it not working, he was getting covered in all sorts of unmentionable things. Melody struggled to try and free him.

"Why bother with him? He's no prize for somebody like you," Melody told her, "I'm the one you want. I'm the one causing all the trouble."

The demon released him only after she'd half-way strangled him with her tight grip. Akito choked and coughed, both from the stench and from having his throat crushed. She hurried after Melody, surprisingly agile for something that was falling apart. Akito noticed something shiny on the blood-stained floor just as the horrible creature caught up with her. Melody was now trying to free herself from the demon's grasp as its fingers inched towards her throat. He seized the object and tried not to think about what coating it had to make it so slimy. He had the key, now he just had to get Ritsu out.

"I demand that you leave here at once in the name of my Father!" Melody choked out, now pinned against the wall. The creature was attempting to laugh, but it came out as a series of gurgles. Akito jammed the key into the lock and forced it to turn despite its decrepit state. The door ground open with a long, low moan from the hinges and Ritsu stumbled out shakily. He looked at Akito with wide eyes.

"I've let you out, now we have to help her," Akito told him.

Ritsu saw the creature he'd been imprisoned by. Melody had once again regained the upper hand, but she was struggling.

"What can I do?" he asked weakly, "I tried to fight her earlier and she knocked me down and dragged me into this cell."

"You know that Father she's always telling stories about? Ask him for help. It has to be you."

"Why? What do I say? Where is he?"

"Just talk! He'll show up!"

Akito forced his instincts of disgust back and tried to pry the long-haired demon off of Melody, but he was tiring out as well. His whole body felt much heavier than it really was and his muscles screamed with exhaustion. He heard Ritsu crying in the background but didn't understand what he was saying. The roaring in his ears grew louder and he knew he was going to faint. Drawing back his fist, he slammed his fist into the back of the demon's head. It was the last thing he saw before everything went dark.


	18. Chapter 18

Moonlight was pouring through the window when he woke. His eyelids felt unbearably heavy, but he forced them open. As his memory surfaced, he sat up and his heart began to thunder.

"Ah, Akito! You've rejoined the living, I see." Shigure offered him a glass of water. Akito snatched it out of his hand and gulped down about half the contents in one swallow.

"What happened?" he demanded.

"If you're worried about Ritsu, don't. He's fine. Tohru hugged him and nothing happened."

Seeing the impatient glare that Akito was giving him, Shigure sat down on the bed beside him.

"The two of you were just sitting there with your eyes closed like you did when you freed Yuki," he explained, "and then, this black mist surrounds Melody's hands. You started breathing really hard and so did she, like you both had been running, then she pulled something out of Ritsu. I didn't get a very good look at it because it screamed and dissolved into ashes. I do know that it was dripping blood everywhere…then you both sort of fainted. That was about two and a half hours ago."

"And Melody?" Akito couldn't help but ask.

"Well…she didn't come out of it quite as well as you did. She seems to have gotten sick from whatever that thing was."

Akito pushed the covers away. His whole body felt like it was full of lead, but he ignored it.

"Help me up," he demanded, "I want to go talk to her."

"She's not awake," Shigure told him sympathetically, "she seems to have some kind of a fever."

Even though he didn't think it was a good idea, he pulled Akito to his feet and supported him while he moved on jelly-like legs down the hallway.

"She's right here," he told him, "but I wouldn't expect too much right now."

They entered the room. The door was already open and a pale yellow light from a lamp bathed everybody. Hatori was bending over Melody with one of the thermometers that went in the ear. Ritsu was sitting on her other side, his eyes still wet with tears. Akito knew without asking that he felt guilty—he always did whether he'd actually done something wrong or not. He looked up at Akito with those big mournful eyes and Akito felt acid rising in his throat. As much as he wanted to blame Ritsu for this, he knew he couldn't. He settled down on the end of the bed, glad to have the weight off of his weak legs. One hand pressed against Melody's red-hot cheek, then quickly withdrew. Shigure had been right—she was burning up.

"How bad is it?" he asked Hatori. He hadn't been around any sick people that much—the only experience he'd had was that day that Melody had stopped Yuki's asthma.

"It's 40.6 Celsius," Hatori said, "it's pretty high. I've given her something for it, but it may take some time to kick in."

"It's all my fault," Ritsu lamented, "I'm s-"

Akito's stony expression shut him up.

"She wanted to do it," Akito growled, "she did this for you. Stop crying and just be grateful."

Ritsu's eyes glittered, but he said nothing. Akito shook Melody, trying to get her to wake up, but she wouldn't wake.

"I know you're still in there," he whispered in her ear, "I know you can hear me. So help me, if you die, I will find a way to bring you back and I will kill you myself."

If he'd known any kind words, he'd have said them to her then. If he'd have been the singing type, he might have sang to her and stroked her hair. But all he knew was shouting, cursing, and coldness.

"Wake up, dammit!" he snapped.

"Akito…that might not be the best way," Shigure said gently, "she's been through a lot in the last few days."

He made the same sulking face that he had on the night that Tohru had discovered Kyo's true form and Shigure had found him out there in the rain with her.

"If she dies, we'll never get rid of this curse!" he said irritably.

"Is that all you're really worried about?" Shigure asked pointedly.

"Yes."

He was lying. He knew he was lying the moment he said that and the others knew it as well, but no one called him on it.

"Maybe we should get out of here and just let her rest," Hatori suggested helplessly. He'd done everything he could think of—cold cloths, light blankets only, a shot to bring down the fever, and antibiotics in case it was some type of infection. He didn't want Melody to die, either. One reason was that he'd never lost a patient in his care. The other was because they needed her—and the need had nothing to do with the curse.

"Akito, why don't you come downstairs and have some dinner with us? Tohru cooked," Shigure said amicably.

"Later," he said. He was the farthest thing from hungry. They all exchanged meaningful glances and departed. Akito looked after them with a sullen expression, wishing they'd cut that out. No matter what they said, it wasn't going to happen. But it didn't mean that he wanted anything to happen to her.

"I've never had a friend before," he finally ventured, "so it would be cruel of you to deprive me of one now."

His voice had its familiar coldness, but it lacked the ice that it usually had. He moved until he was side-by-side with her. He caught their reflection in the mirror on the dresser. The sulk was still there, but there was a sadness also. Melody seemed to get sick or hurt a lot and he pitied her as someone who was usually in the same situation. They were both only living for others…

"If you had any sense at all, you'd let go of those foolish feelings," he told her, "I don't know anything about women and I don't care to find out. I've got enough to deal with as it is. Don't expect me to pity you because I never will."

Only silence and Melody's ragged breath answered him.

"I've been hard on you," he continued, "but I have to be hard on everyone. Until the next god comes along, they'll have to get along by themselves. They take foolish risks and I can't allow that."

His hands were cold. Impulse to get them warm again more than anything else made him press them against her flaming cheeks.

"And you…the angel…how long will you have? If every time you heal us, you use up part of yourself, what then? Will you have wasted it all on me? All that hope? All that sickening sweetness that just makes me want to vomit?"

Nothing.

"I hate you sometimes," he told her, "I really do. You want to know the real reason since you're unconscious and you can't hear me anyway? It's because I really don't know what to do with you. I know how to handle the others. I know deep down they can't stand me and they resent me and how I control them. But you…you're the only person who's ever made me feel guilt and I can't stand that. Everything was so simple before you came along and now…now I don't know anymore."

He was sitting with his knees pulled up to his chest. Resting his chin on them, he curled his arms around his body protectively. Then, he looked down at her sleeping face. She looked pale and waxen in the moonlight, almost not completely real. Even in her sickness, there was something unearthly about her. The minutes ticked by slowly. After what seemed like a long time, she stirred. Her eyes opened, but were only dark slits at first.

"Ugh…" she rasped.

"That took you long enough," he muttered.

"Akito?"

"Yes."

Her eyes opened a little more, but they were glassy and unfocused.

"I feel awful…what happened?"

"I don't know," he admitted truthfully, "Hatori said your fever was really high. We beat her, but we both passed out on the way back. You've been out a lot longer than I have."

"Oh…"

She raked her hand across her forehead.

"My skin hurts. Has that ever happened to you?"

"More times than I can count. I'll be right back."

He peeled away the now heated rags that Hatori had placed on her forehead and neck and ran them under the faucet in the bathroom until they were cool to the touch. Then, he rang them out and replaced them. He also pressed one on her cheeks, trying to absorb some of the heat.

"That feels so good…thank you…" she croaked.

"I've had a lot of fevers," he said awkwardly, "this is the first time I've ever been on the other side of one."

"I can't imagine what it must be like," she whispered, "to live with this all the time. My body feels so heavy…"

"There's really not much you can do but sleep it off," he said, smoothing the rag over her forehead, "Hatori gave you some medicine—I hope it takes effect soon."

She looked up at him with those big, dark eyes.

"I don't know why you think so poorly of yourself…you're actually really nice when you stop thinking so much about it."

He gave her a questioning look.

"I heard you talking to me earlier," she explained, "but I wasn't all the way awake. I tried to speak, but I was so exhausted…"

"Stop explaining. I know how this works," he said irritably. His own face was flaming from embarrassment now—he had been careless in assuming she was completely unconscious.

"You don't have to love me back," Melody finally rasped, "just hearing you call me your friend is enough. I just want you to be happy."

She started coughing violently. It sounded as though she were choking—Akito stiffened, unsure of how to help her. He'd never seen this happen to anyone else before. The spell subsided, thankfully, after a few seconds.

"Nothing at all has to change if you don't want it to," she wheezed. He placed two pale, narrow fingers over her mouth.

"Stop talking," he said sharply, "or it'll get worse. You can't breathe well as it is."

It didn't escape his notice that though her lips were dry and parched that they were still velvety soft to the touch. He moved his hand as quickly as he could. She gave him a faint smile.

"Then talk to me," she whispered, "and I'll just listen."

"You have been."

"Please?"

His stomach rumbled.

"I made you miss dinner," she lamented.

"No. I chose not to go down there. Everyone's still tense after what happened—I didn't want to be in a crowd."

"You don't have to stay. I'll be all right. Go eat."

Without needing a second invitation, he sprang off the bed and was gone. It was just as well…Melody supposed he was probably tired of sitting here. While he was there, he informed everyone that she was awake so that they'd stop whispering questions to each other. Hatori went to go talk to her while Akito was still downstairs. Tohru had made some kind of soup—how fitting—and offered to heat some up. When he returned to Melody's room, he carried a tray with two steaming bowls.

"I guess you have no choice but to eat with me since you haven't had dinner, either," Akito said smugly.

"Thank you," she said gratefully. Hatori had slipped out of the room just a moment before. She took up her spoon, but her hand was shaking. When she went to take a bite, she lost her already weak grip on it and it clattered to the floor, the broth trailing across the blanket as it descended.

"I'm sorry…"

Her eyes glistened with tears as he picked it up. She blinked just as he resurfaced and they spilled over.

"Stop crying. It's only a spoon."

"I can't help it…"

Somehow, this had made her cry more. Akito felt his impatience bordering into anger when he remembered that his emotions got out of control during fevers as well. What was it about them that made even the strongest person crumble? He dragged a deep breath into his lungs.

"Please try to calm down," he finally said, managing not to grit his teeth, "I'm going to get another spoon. When I get back up here, your face had better be dry."

She gulped and nodded.

Shigure and Hatori stepped out of the other room.

"Now that, my dear Hari," Shigure said smugly, "is a miracle."

"I won't argue with you there."

Akito tossed the spoon carelessly into the sink and found a clean one. He didn't say anything to anyone else as he went up there. At least Melody had done as he asked and wasn't crying anymore. She watched him, puzzled, as he dipped up a spoonful of the broth and held it to her lips.

"You _can_ still open your mouth, can't you?" he asked irritably.

She did.

"Why are you—"

"If you do it, the maids will have to wash all these blankets and we'll run out of clean spoons. Now, shut up and eat."

She did. She tried not to keep him more than she had to because he left his own food untouched until her bowl was empty. It made her stomach squirm in an odd way—she was glad when he finally started on his own soup.

"Thank you, Akito…" she said gratefully. Tohru came up to collect the dishes.

"Are you feeling better, Melody?" she asked.

"Yes," she said gratefully, "thank you. Thank you all…I don't know what I'd do without you."

Akito resisted the urge to make a sarcastic remark about her having to clean up her own messes. He was going to let it go this time.

"It's no problem," Tohru said, "I'm glad I could help, even if it was just getting all of you a hot meal."

"Never underestimate the value of that," Melody told her, "…for I was hungry and you fed me. I was tired and you gave me shelter. I was naked and you clothed me…for all that you have done for the least of these, you have also done to me.' Father said that."

Tohru smiled.

"Well, let me know if there's anything else I can do, even if it's just to keep you company."

They watched her shadow disappearing down the hallway.

"Akito, can you promise me something?" Melody asked.

"No, I can't," he said bluntly.

"I'd never ask if I knew you couldn't do it," she said, her hand curling around his slim wrist. The excessive heat permeated the sleeve of his yukata easily. He gave a disgusted sigh, but didn't fling her hand away as he usually would.

"You have to tell me what it is before I can tell you whether I'll agree to it," he reminded her.

"Will you let Tohru be part of the family once this is all over? She kind of is, but will you let her stay?"

He gave her a Look.

"Why would I promise that?" he asked darkly.

"Because I know you see it…how happy she makes everyone. Including you even though you won't admit it."

"And what if I don't?" he asked her coldly.

"Nothing," she lamented tiredly, "I'm just asking this as a personal favor. Please…you don't have to do anything. You just have to let her be the way she is now."

His expression softened a little. Such a small thing…here she was, able to blackmail him into anything she wanted and yet she didn't see it. She didn't see the power she now had over the Sohmas. She only wanted him to let Tohru do exactly as she was doing already. He got the odd sense that he didn't really know Melody at all.

"Fine. Will that make you feel better?"

She let her eyes slide closed.

"Yes. Thank you."

When her ragged breath softened, slowed, and deepened, he was sure she really was out this time and finally left. His head was aching a little and he was more exhausted than he could remember being. Now that she wasn't distracting him, he felt the drowsiness consuming him. It was all he could do to get up off that bed and go to his own room. Without bothering to change, he flopped over on his own bed and promptly fell asleep.

The next morning, Akito awoke feeling somewhat disoriented. He groaned a little when he heard Ritsu's excited chatter and Momiji's responding chatter. Yanking a pillow over his head, he wished the walls weren't so thin.

"Ugh…SHUT UP!" he shouted.

Everything went silent. Then,

"Sorry…" Ritsu said sheepishly.

"What's going on, anyway?" Akito lowered the pillow to his chest.

"Melody's awake. Her fever's broken."

_That was fast…_

He ran his fingers through his bed-head to try and smooth it out a little bit and tugged his yukata back up around his shoulders. Still barefoot and somewhat disheveled, he poked his head in the door. Melody was sitting up talking to Hatori and Shigure. Her cheeks pinked a little when she saw him.

"So, you're still alive."

She nodded.

"Thank you for taking care of me last night," she mumbled, looking down at her hands, "I really appreciate it."

"Well, you'd better stay well. I'm not feeding you again."

He went back to his own room, his smug expression still not concealing the gratitude that was really underneath.


	19. Chapter 19

The brown-haired young woman sat up rubbing her face. She looked around, her heart beginning to thunder. This was not her home. This was not her car—in fact, she couldn't remember at all where she was. The last thing she could remember was getting in the car with Takeo for a trip to the store. Despite the doctor putting her on bed rest, Kana was desperate for some air. She'd been cooped up at home since her third month when she'd started spotting. The six-month-gestational baby twitched in her belly, seeming to sense her mother's fear.

"Oh, good. You're awake. We were afraid you'd gotten too big of a dose," a voice said.

_Where have I heard this voice before? It sounds so familiar…_

"Who are you? What am I doing here?" she asked, fighting the haze of drugs that had been given to her in the form of a handkerchief forced over her nose and mouth.

"Ah, yes…I had a feeling you wouldn't recognize me. Hatori has that unfortunate side effect on people."

_Hatori? What's he got to do with anything?_

She knew very little of the tall, thin doctor that she'd once worked with. The one thing she'd always remember was the sadness in his beautiful jade-colored eyes. He had a way of making people feel as if they'd known him forever.

"What do you mean?" she asked shakily.

"He erased your memory," the woman's voice answered, "just up and left you because my darling little boy half-blinded him over you. Or does everyone simply accept that there is a solid year or so that's unaccounted for?"

Kana's heart was pounding.

"Yes…you know in your heart that something isn't right—I can tell by the look on your face. Tell me, Kana, how often do you have dreams of things you think haven't happened, but are too real to be mere dreams? How often do you see people on the street with odd colorings and feel that you know them? It's because you do."

Kana placed her hands protectively on the curve of her abdomen.

"Why are you telling me all this?" she demanded, "I want to go home and I want to know where Takeo is."

"He's in the next room. But I'm afraid you won't be going home. You see, there are a few things that your darling husband didn't tell you. He's racked up quite a debt—and the only way he'll be square is by cooperating with us."

"What are you talking about?"

The woman stepped into the light. She was beautiful and looked much younger than she really was. The only real indicator of her age were the shadows under her eyes. She had long, flowing raven hair and eyes the colors of dark sapphire. Her slender body had just enough curve to it to make crowds of women green with envy. Today, she wore what looked to be a very expensive kimono.

"I assure you it won't be for long," she said, joining Kana on the couch she was laying on, "it's just until I can capture _her._"

"Who?"

Kana was still feeling very much in the dark. Her captor retrieved a picture from where she'd stowed it in the waistband of her obi.

There were two people in the photograph. One was dark-haired with a bluish tint to it and had laughing green eyes. The other had the same hair and eyes as this woman, only it was a boy. A boy she knew she'd seen before…

All at once, Hatori's hypnosis broke. Memories of things she'd forgotten or somehow repressed rushed back to the surface. She broke out in a cold, pale sweat as she remembered cradling the seahorse in her hands and wondering whether to put him in salt water or fresh water. The dates they'd had, the late-night conversations, the laughter. She suddenly understood why Hatori looked so sad all the time. And she remembered _him._

"Akito…"

Her voice was loaded with a mixture of fear and venom.

"Yes, Akito."

"Who is the other one?"

"Her name is Melody. She's the one I want."

Ren would not tell her anymore except that she had to be patient and that if she tried to make a run for it, she and her thugs wouldn't hesitate to put a bullet in her brain. Kana was left alone sobbing into the darkness.

_I've spent the last year in a dream…it was as if part of myself had gone missing. And now I know why…_

She remembered very vividly how Akito had thrown that vase at Hatori, causing him to be blinded in one eye and the terrible pain that came with knowing that she was somehow responsible for the Sohma "god" getting so furious. She remembered Akito's chilling voice and the loud roughness of it after he'd exploded. For such a small man, he was frighteningly strong. Then, she remembered the day Hatori had wiped her memory. There had been a flash of light and the feeling of just floating away—it was almost as if she had died. Then, when she woke up, she had been in her own bed still in her work clothes. She couldn't remember Hatori's gentle touch or his calming voice. When she'd started dating Takeo, she had always wondered why she never had the stereotypical "fireworks". He'd clearly loved her that way, though, and he was a sweet man and she felt as though she'd never do any better than him.

But now…

Her thoughts turned to Akito. There was so much rage there, and so much pain. If that ill-tempered little monster hadn't blown up the way he did, none of this would have happened. Right now, she despised him more than anybody on the planet because this was all his fault!

Kana tried to slow her breathing down. She'd heard somewhere that being too stressed might cause a mother to go into labor prematurely. Instead, she tried to put the pieces together. Now, she could remember who that woman was. There was no mistaking her—she was Ren, Akito's mother. The mental disturbance, she mused, must be hereditary. But why capture her? Why did she want this Melody dead? And for that matter, how had Takeo come to be involved?

She rose from the couch and looked around. The building was well-furnished, but had the neglected air of abandonment. The couch had a slightly musty smell and everything was coated with dust. Weak yellow sunlight came in through a single very dirty window. She tried to look through it, but there was so much dirt caked onto the outside that she couldn't tell where she was. That was probably intentional. The room was fairly small. She noticed the door that Ren had exited through and tried the knob. Locked. Of course it was locked…

She sat back down. Her legs felt like jelly and she was feeling a little sick to her stomach. What would she do now?

Akito lay his head back against a smoothly curved rock for a headrest. The rag over his eyes blocked everything out. The spring was just the perfect temperature and he could feel the tension in his slender frame melting away. Now that they'd established that Melody was going to be okay, he decided a little time away from everyone else was in order. Now that he'd been through so much in a short amount of time, maybe he could finally get a little peace and quiet.

_Nothing has to change. All I want is for you to be happy…_her words still echoed in his ears.

"Damn it," he muttered. Even when he was out here in the middle of nowhere, he still couldn't escape that girl. Half-asleep, he listened to the gentle lapping of waves against the rocks. All around him, the world was still full of sound. There was bird song and the whisper of breeze through tree branches. For someone who could "see sounds" the way she claimed, it was probably either even better or very chaotic. He found himself wondering what it looked like.

"There you are! We were wondering where you'd gone," Shigure's voice said crisply.

"What do you want?!" Akito growled. Couldn't he be alone for five freaking minute?!

"I'm sorry to bother you and I assure you I wouldn't if it weren't important."

Akito tossed his makeshift blindfold aside and glared daggers up at him. The dog-spirited man, however, still retained an annoying air of patience. He knelt next to the edge of the water.

"Your dear old mother seems to be up to something," he said, holding up the typed letter.

Akito snatched it out of his hand, the water soaking into the paper and making it wilt. His eyes grew wide and furious with each panning of his dark blue eyes.

"I'll kill her," he snapped, hauling himself out of the water. Shigure turned his back, as Akito despised people seeing him unclothed, and Akito quickly toweled himself off. Tugging up the dark blue swim trunks he'd come out here in, he asked, "How long ago did you get this?"

"Ritsu found it outside the door," Shigure responded, "he panicked and it was all I could do to pry it out of his hands. That's why it's ripped at the top."

Akito shoved his feet into his sandals.

"This is getting ridiculous," he spat, "first she takes Kisa, now she's got Kana."

Shigure seemed vaguely surprised.

"I thought you despised her," he pointed out.

Akito gave him a Look.

"I did," he said bluntly, "I still do. But do you really think I'm so much of a monster that I want somebody dying or hurt? Especially by my mother?"

"You're right. I don't think that."

"At least you haven't for the last five seconds."

They started towards the house as fast as they could. Akito was very winded by the time they got there and had to lean on Shigure for support until he could catch his breath. The others crowded around them.

"Akito-sama! Are you sick?"

"No…I…Shigure…tell them…."

He let himself collapse in a nearby chair. Ritsu brought him a glass of water, which he gratefully took. He didn't say a word until Shigure had read the note out loud:

"One life apparently wasn't enough to get the message across. Perhaps we'll try again with two. If you want Kana to still be a mother, bring the one called Melody with you to…"

He puzzled out the address, as some of the ink had run from Akito's wet hands. By the time he'd finished telling them what the address was, they realized that Hatori was standing in the doorway.

"Kana…" he whispered, face going ashen.

It was then that Akito saw the real Hatori—the usually calm and collected dragon was barely able to keep his footing. His expression changed little, but the small things like the tremors in his hands and the complete fading of color from even his lips gave it away. He was terrified. And now, everyone was looking at Akito. He crossed his arms and looked down at the floor.

"We'll think of something," he assured them, "we're not letting her hurt Kana."

Melody moved quickly and quietly. She could choose to remain unseen if she really wanted to—Hatori was not the only one who had hypnotic powers to say the least. She knew—Father had told her—before any of the rest of them were aware. Slipping right out the front door, she sprinted towards the gate. The fever had left her achy and dizzy, but she wasn't going to slow down for the sake of a mere illness. She was already sweating and her crème-colored blouse was clinging to her fair reddened skin within minutes. Tugging the brim of her black newsboy cap further down to shield her eyes from the bright hot summer sun, she set off towards the address. She knew that there was an ambush waiting there and she didn't want the Sohmas to get caught in it. There was a strange glitter in her dark green eyes, one that was signaling that the worst was yet to come. Akito himself often got the same brightness when one of his attacks was coming, though only Hatori could read it.

Her feet slipped around in her white ballet flats. She already felt like throwing up, but she was determined to ride this out. Today was not her expiration, she knew, and neither would it be Kana's.

The group of worried Sohmas was now moving up the stairs to see what could be done—and what she felt up to doing.

Melody was already halfway there by the time they found her empty bed, her rumpled sheets, and the discarded pajamas laying halfway over the side of the clothes-hamper. There was a hastily written message on the desktop of her computer:

SORRY.

Akito turned and struck the wall so hard that he left a dent in it. Everyone else shrank back, but for once, his anger was not directed at them.

"Dammit! Just once, can't she listen?"

Melody arrived at the abandoned house by the time the Sohma party expanded their search. They covered the house and the entire grounds just to make sure, then they came up with a hastily planned "rescue" from the particular address. They took four different cars going in four different directions to see if they could catch her in the act, but they were too late. A warning shot was fired at her foot and Melody raised her hands to show that she wasn't armed.

"That's the girl we're trading for, you idiot!"

The thug took the gun out of the other one's hand and punched him in the gut. Then, he came to meet Melody halfway up the walk.

"I'm not going to have any trouble with you, am I?" he asked.

"No, sir."

Melody showed him her open palms.

"Are you alone?" he asked.

"As far as I know, yes."

It was the truth.

"Let's go."

He dragged her into the house, gun barrel poking into her back. She offered no resistance. She felt too sick to her stomach from the heat and too weak. In truth, she would be glad for the rest.

"You're a very obedient one, aren't you?" Ren asked upon seeing Melody forced into the living room. She dropped to her knees and forced the acid back down her throat. Kneeling next to her, she asked, "What's wrong? Not feeling well?"

"No, Ma'am."

"That's too bad. I hope my son hasn't been giving you too much grief."

"Just a twenty-four hour bug, I think," Melody said, trying to sound light.

"Well, you won't have to worry about it much longer. Come with me."

She did. Her hands were bound behind her back and she was pushed into a small, dark room. Landing roughly on her knees, she grunted as the pain shot through her legs.

"You shouldn't have come here," a voice said through the darkness. Melody's head snapped up.

"Kana?" she asked weakly.

"Yes."

The heavily pregnant woman hauled her to her feet. With some difficulty, she managed to help Melody break the thick tape that was keeping her hands bound.

"You shouldn't have come here," she repeated, "you walked right into their trap."

"I did?"

"I thought they would let you go if they had me."

"They lied. They don't just want you. Ren wants Akito, too."

"Why?"

"I heard her talking. She plans to kill him as well."

Melody's eyes grew huge.

"But…"

"Oh, come now! You didn't really think Ren would stick to her word, did you? Akito may be violent and full of meanness, but he's not the same type of mean. Ren's the sneaky one."

She shuddered.

"Are you all right?" Melody asked.

"I'll be glad to get out of here," Kana confessed, "I feel…"

Her breath suddenly froze in her lungs as a sharp pain ripped through her abdomen. She was hurting so much that she lost her balance and fell forward, causing both of them to crash to the floor. A hot trickle soaked her trousers.

"No…" she gasped shakily.

Melody didn't dare move.

"What's wrong?" she asked, afraid.

"The doctor told me I should have been on bed rest because I had a split placenta…" she lamented, "…and I'm pretty sure it just broke-AH!"

Melody cringed.

"Let me see what I can do," she said shakily, "maybe I can help it."

She placed her hands on Kana's abdomen. They were like that for several minutes as Kana gasped and cried and Melody prayed, but nothing happened.

"It's not working…why won't it work?!" she wondered, panicking.

The longer the drive, the more impatient everyone was getting. Akito had asked Shigure to contact the other Zodiac members. They would likely need everyone's help, as Melody had a knack for getting herself into trouble.

"You won't get there any faster by pushing," Shigure joked lightly. Akito looked down to see his feet pressed hard against the floorboard. He pretended to smack him, but it was only a little tap. The others laughed uneasily.

Tears flowed down Melody's face in silence. She held onto one of Kana's hands as she continued to try and heal her. The bleeding seemed to have slowed, but it was such a small difference that Melody was getting genuinely afraid. She propped Kana's feet up in an effort to keep gravity from working against them. She sang to Kana, rubbed her belly, and tried to keep her mind off of things, but no amount of pleading to the guard was helping. In fact, she got the creeping suspicion that no one was out there at all. After what seemed like an eternity, she slammed her fists against the door.

"HELP ME!" she shrieked, but no one answered.

One by one, the hired thugs were ambushed. Hatsuharu knocked one out by sneaking up behind him. Hatori took another one out. Shigure took a third out. Akito grabbed the fourth, who had gone to assist the third, and slammed his head against the side of the house. He let him fall with a sickening thud.

"Was that really necessary?" Shigure eyed the poor guy on the ground.

"He's lucky I didn't keep going," Akito responded. Sirens sounded in the distance—that would be Tohru's doing.

"Come on."

Isuzu had bailed out of the car earlier, searching for someone to help her transform. She had seized a poor, confused old guy and promptly turned into a horse. Muttering about how medication was affecting his sight, the old guy turned around and went back into the house. Horse-Isuzu kicked in the door with her powerful back legs. After a few moments of confused fighting in which Ren slipped out the back door, Akito separated himself from the fray and sprinted up the stairs. He let out a groan when he realized that the pain was coming back—of all times for this to happen—and staggered towards the beat-up looking doors. Some of the others were right behind him.

"Akito?" Melody's frightened voice answered.

"Both of you get back from the door," Akito warned.

There was a crash downstairs and the tell-tale whoosh and crackle of flames. They would have to hurry.

Isuzu kicked the door in. The wood splintered apart and Melody shielded Kana from it as best as she could by covering her up with a blanket. When the light finally flooded into the dark room, how much blood Kana had really lost was evident. Akito's stomach turned.

"We have to get out of here right now," he told her grimly, "there's a fire downstairs."

"But Kana—"

"—will have to get up if she wants to live," Akito finished for her.

Isuzu was kneeling as best as she could. With a lot of effort, they managed to get Kana on her back. She stood carefully and Kana clung to handfuls of her mane, trying not to pull. Still in shock from blood loss and disbelief, she stared at Akito's pale face as Isuzu took her downstairs. He and Melody were about to follow when they heard a sinister click behind them.

"Just where do you think you're going?" the cold voice asked.

Akito said something very not nice in Chinese and turned around. The barrel of the gun was pointed right at his nose. His searing gaze met Ren's.

"What the Hell is wrong with you?" he demanded.

"You are, of course. You couldn't even stick to our little deal."

"What deal?" Melody asked.

"The short version is that if he loses the bet, in which all the Zodiac members leave his side for Tohru or another outsider like you, that he must leave the main house and I would take his place as god. Instead, he has gained another pet—you—and he's using you to free them. I don't like broken promises."

Ren's eyes were bright with madness and malice.

"And I'm tired of waiting. All my life, I've never once gotten what I deserved," she said acidly, "so which one of you first? If I put a bullet in his brain, you might bring him back. So I guess it's you first."

She aimed at Melody's head and pulled the trigger so fast that Akito hadn't had time to react. However, the gun failed to go off.

Melody opened her eyes, which had squeezed shut in the face of the danger just a second before. There was a dangerous fire there—and, much to his horror—they began to glow the color of flames.

"ENOUGH!" Melody roared. She held a fistful of flames in one hand and electricity in the other. A lightning bolt shot out and forced Ren to drop the gun. Akito was so stunned that he couldn't move. She was like something out of one of his worst nightmares. Turning towards him, she shoved him hard. The wind was knocked out of him as he rolled down the stairs. The pain, which he'd forgotten a moment ago, exploded in his gut so fast that he lost his ability to breathe. The air was getting thick with smoke. Upstairs, he heard a window crashing as the glass broke. Shigure looped his arm around Akito and dragged him outside. They were both coughing from the smoke by the time they made it out. Upstairs, a strange screech that had to come from Melody made his ears hurt. He looked up to see Ren escaping out of one of the open windows and Melody going after her. His blood chilled to watch her smoky black wings unfurl against the sky. She was bleeding in a few places, but it didn't seem to be anything major. She caught up with Ren and they both dropped like stones to the ground. There was a resounding CRACK! Someone had clearly broken something. Akito noticed a knife laying a few feet away—someone must have dropped it in all the chaos. He seized it, trying to keep his focus on his target. His vision was closing into a tunnel and he knew he'd lose it completely in a few seconds. Gasping, he threw it and saw it lodge firmly in Ren's back. Ren let out a screech and went limp just as Melody was about to…well, he wasn't sure, but he knew it would probably kill Ren. Realizing what she had been about to do, Melody let Ren go and the flames left her eyes and her hands. The wings faded as her look of shock and horror melted into despair. Some of the thugs had regained consciousness and were trying to escape, but the police had arrived and were chasing after them. The world began to fade away into flames, red and blue lights, and noise.

Melody stood, shaking in horror. The flames of the house died in spits and sizzles of steam. Blood—both Kana's and Ren's—was spattered all over her shirt. Ren was gasping and trying in vain to draw breath, but her collapsed lung wouldn't let her. Melody looked down at her and saw her eyes widening and her flesh paling. Had she really just been about to…

Kneeling next to her, she placed her hands over the wounds. She felt her strength, fueled by adrenaline, flowing into Ren's body. The men that she had burned that night at the hospital had died—she had been within her rights to defend herself and her friends, but she did not want to take any more lives. Timing it just right, she pulled the knife out and the wound stopped bleeding. She didn't close it all the way, as Ren would need to be hospitalized for another problem—something mental. This would at least ensure that she lived and got the help she needed. Feeling tears stream down her face, she backed away as Ren's eyes closed, relishing the lack of pain and the ease of breathing again. Kana was being put on a stretcher. Melody placed her hand on Kana's abdomen and the remainder of her strength was consumed. She gave just enough that they both stopped bleeding—she and her daughter—so that she could remain on her feet.

Akito stayed facedown where he'd fallen.

She knelt next to him, realizing very quickly that something was wrong.

"No…" he gasped, "…not enough…"

She gently turned him over. He was leaning against one arm, his head on her shoulder.

"I don't care," she whispered. He had, after all, saved her from doing a terrible thing. For that, she loved him even more. Placing his hand over his belly, she closed her eyes and prayed. Around them, the world seemed to grow dimmer. Her breathing slowed. Her heartbeat slowed. Her eyes were already closed, but it was like going to sleep. The warm solidness of him in her arms was the last thing she felt fully aware of.


	20. Chapter 20

The world in which he woke was no less chaotic. An oxygen tube, the kind that went up one's nose, had been placed to help him breathe better. He heard the mechanical humming of the machines that kept the IV's going as well as some of the monitors. He shifted and found that he was blissfully numb, unable to feel the previously unbearable pain in his middle. The sour taste on his breath told him he'd probably thrown up at some point, or had come dangerously close to it. He'd never get used to the disorientation that came from such an episode. Blinking against the too-bright lights, he fought against the sedative effect. He wanted to know what was going on.

"He's awake," someone announced. He suspected that he was hearing Shigure. He heard a couple of other voices, but not the one he expected. Once he'd blinked a few times and his vision had cleared, he saw Tohru, Kisa, and Momiji. Shigure appeared a second later.

"Welcome back to the living," Shigure said cheerfully, "how are you feeling?"

"How do you think?" Akito retorted, his voice gravelly, "Where's Melody?"

They all looked at each other. That wasn't a good sign.

"We don't know," Shigure admitted, "she stayed long enough to make sure that you were all right, as well as Kana. She said she was going to go and get cleaned up, but we haven't seen her since."

Akito heard the heart monitor increase its rhythm as he squeezed his hands into fists. It made them all cringe.

"And Kana?" he managed calmly.

"Well, they both lost so much blood that they had to deliver the baby early," Tohru replied, "and they named her 'Tianshi'."

"Of course they did," Akito muttered, for "Tianshi" was Chinese for "angel".

"Hatori's at the hospital right now," she continued, "he said to call if you started not feeling well, so don't put it off."

"I won't." If his walking painkiller wasn't here, chances were it would get pretty bad if left unattended.

"Find her," Akito finally said, "please. I want to speak with her."

It was the first time they could remember him ever asking for anything instead of ordering.

"We'll send her down here as soon as we do," Shigure assured him, "in the meantime, do you want anyone to stay with you?"

Yes and no, he thought.

"I won't be much company," he admitted, "I can hardly keep my eyes open."

"I'll stay," Momiji volunteered, "and I'll be really quiet, I promise."

Normally, Akito wasn't fond of Momiji because he could be as irritating as Ayame or Ritsu when he got all hyper and energetic, but he either didn't mind so much or he was simply too tired to care.

"Thank you," he responded, letting his eyes slide closed.

Melody sat on the roof, letting the wind blow through her damp hair. She had on clean clothes and had washed thoroughly, but she felt so deeply disturbed that there was a part of her that would never be clean again. The two men she'd charred to a crisp had been an accident and she'd willingly blocked that out of her mind. Now…she remembered Ren's face. Though Ren had lived, the ugliness of what she'd been prepared to do haunted her. She'd been so infuriated at the idea that Ren would kill her own son that she'd snapped. Again. She was prepared to end Ren's life with no question. What on earth was she turning into? She had cried a lot of tears in the bath, begging Father to forgive her for the awful things that she'd done and thought. The list of things she was ashamed of was growing: she'd murdered two men, possibly been responsible for more deaths, though she wasn't yet sure. She hadn't been able to heal Kana for some strange reason and she couldn't figure out why. She'd developed an attraction to a mortal—her charge, at that. She'd actually found herself wishing that the other demons would take their time manifesting so that she'd have more time to spend with all of them, but especially Akito. And now, they'd all seen her for what she was: a monster.

It was Kyo who finally found her up on that roof.

"So…come up here to have a pity party?"

She nearly jumped out of her skin. She hadn't heard him coming, she'd been so entranced in her own thoughts.

"Oh! Hi, Kyo."

"Why aren't you camped out in the hospital wing with Akito? Isn't that what you usually do when he gets sick?"

Melody hung her head.

"He asked for you," Kyo finally said again.

"Oh…" was all she managed.

"So, are you going or what? If you wait until he wakes up completely, he'll want to know what the Hell took you so long."

"I'm sure he will," Melody answered quietly, "but…"

"But what? Everyone's worried about you."

She couldn't bring herself to say it.

"He saw me," she said quietly, "at the house. He saw my…well…let's just say you aren't the only one who has a cursed form."

They were silent, sitting side by side for a moment.

"You think he'll be upset with you for that," Kyo thought out loud.

"Yes."

He didn't quite know what to say, as he completely understood. The first time Akito had seen him transform, he'd been five and Akito had been just shy of nine. He'd said that Kyo's "true" form was the ugliest thing he'd ever seen and that the stench that came from it was the result of a rotten soul. Kyo, who had always felt left out to begin with, had been mortified and deeply hurt.

"You know something? It used to bother me, too, but now I just don't care," Kyo finally told her, "Tohru saw it. It scared her—it even made her sick, but she still likes me. I didn't even do any of the things you did. You saved two lives today, three if you count Akito."

Melody bowed her head.

"I shouldn't have gone by myself. I put everyone in danger."

"Yeah. But it worked out, didn't it?"

She looked up at him with big, tearful eyes.

"Give me a break here," he admonished her, "I'm not used to being the cheerful one. That's Tohru's job."

She couldn't help but smile a little.

"Now, go in there and talk to him before we all get an earful, you damn bird!"

Melody giggled.

"Thank you," she said. She was about to hug him, but she stopped herself. Instead, she gave his hand a squeeze.

"Thank you, Kyo."

She slid off the roof into the branches of a sturdy tree, then climbed down from there. She nearly landed on her butt, which made him shake his head. How did she fly around without constantly banging into things? Maybe it was because she hadn't been solid before.

Melody made her way down to the hospital wing. She knew she'd have to face him sooner or later, but it made her very uneasy. She hadn't been embarrassed about much, not even the spoon incident, until now.

Akito was asleep when she entered the room. Momiji smiled and slid off the bed. Before she could do anything, he hugged her and promptly transformed. The resulting POOF roused Akito from his slumber.

"You just couldn't resist, could you?" he mumbled. Melody felt her cheeks turn pink.

"Sorry. I can come back later if you—"

"You'll do no such thing. Put that pesky rabbit down and come here."

Melody gave Momiji a sheepish look and placed him on one of the other beds along with his clothes. She drew the curtains so that he'd have some privacy.

"Where were you?" he finally asked.

"I was…just…taking a bath."

It was the truth and she'd been covered in soot and blood.

"How do you feel now?"

"I'll live. I had a very strange hallucination, however…it was like seeing something out of a nightmare. You turned into some sort of monster."

Melody's head bowed in shame.

"I was seeing things, right?" he pressed.

"No," she admitted quietly, "you weren't."

He stared.

"That was real? I mean, you were…"

"Yes. I have a so-called cursed form just as Kyo does," she responded, "and it comes out when I'm really angry or really scared."

"That's not at all what I expected from an angel."

"I know. As long as I'm wearing flesh, I'm corrupted by this world," she said, her voice barely audible, "and I'm sorry you had to see it. You tell me all the time how annoying I can be, but now you know the mask I wear."

"You were going to kill her, weren't you?"

Akito's voice chilled her. For the first time, she wanted to be anywhere but that room.

"I was," she admitted, "but you…"

"Is she dead?"

"No."

"Why not? Did you help her?"

"I did."

"You little idiot!"

Her head snapped up.

"What?!"

"The only way this is ever going to stop is if she's dead! I was trying to help all of us!" he snapped.

Melody shrank back from him.

"But—"

"No buts! You healed her, didn't you?!"

Tears were flowing down Melody's cheeks now.

"Yes, I did," she whispered, "because it was the right thing to do. That life was not mine to take, and neither were the others. They were accidents, but it was still wrong."

"You weren't the one who would have had to live with it," Akito growled, "why did you interfere?"

Trembling, she responded, "Because I didn't want you to have to live with it."

"She was going to kill you, you stupid woman!"

"I know, but it wasn't my time."

He was giving her that glare again, but the medicine prevented him from moving or physically expressing his fury. It was blunted, too, by the tranquilizing effect.

"I go to all this trouble to protect you and you just marched right out there AGAINST MY ORDERS and got yourself into a big mess! Does my word mean nothing to you?!"

She was on her knees now, but not out of fear or respect, but sadness.

"Stop crying," he snapped, "it's annoying. I hate that."

She gave it her best shot, but it took her another few minutes to compose herself.

"I could have died today because of you," he said coldly, "I don't care how noble all your intentions were. If you ever do that again, I will lock you up and throw away the key."

"I broke my word, I know," Melody said bravely, "but I did it for a good reason. I knew your attack was coming before you did. If you'd have come with me, you'd have been somewhere even more vulnerable and they might have separated us. I was a distraction for all of you to come in and sweep us out. I knew Kana was going into labor prematurely because the placenta ripped. Father told me to go and I went. I'd have never gone for any other reason."

"Your loyalty is to me now."

Melody looked almost haggard beneath the lights.

"No," she said darkly, "my loyalty is to Father. If that makes you mad at me, so be it. A good leader would never try to force me to make a choice like that."

And she rose, turned on her heel, and left. She was quivering inside, shaking and cold. He yelled at her to get back there, that he hadn't finished with her yet, but she would not come. She felt cold inside. The super-hot bath she took, the hot tea she drank, and even the blankets that she piled on herself couldn't seem to cure the cold. It was as if a glacier had formed over her soul. She did nothing but stay in her room with all the doors locked and watch as evening and finally night fell. And she was numb from the inside out all the while.

Little Tianshi was a tough little girl. While she'd been brought out of her mother's womb by Cesarean section with a pasty complexion and no immediate crying, she'd somehow held on until they had gotten her sterilized. Both mother and baby needed blood transfusions, but things had worked out well. Kana was now awake and relieved to hear that Tianshi was doing well. She had whispered her name to Hatori just before they'd taken her in for surgery. While this was far beyond the scope of the hospital wing built onto Sohma land, he had participated in the surgery with a team of other doctors. While they were trying to get Kana stabilized, Hatori had been the one to knead the newborn's back and chest and breathe his own breath into her little lungs. She'd rewarded him with a thin high-pitched cry. She was a tiny thing—only two and a half pounds, and her cries were so high-pitched that they sounded like a kitten mewing rather than a human baby. Feeling her actually stir in his hands made him thank God for the first time in a while. Though his calm exterior, cool and smooth as glass, did not show it, he'd been in a turmoil since this had all began. It had all hit him so hard and fast that he wasn't sure what to feel first. Then, his doctoring instincts had kicked in and he was spared from any intense emotions by necessity: there were things that would not wait for him to be calm again. He had to fake it until he actually felt it.

When Kana had awoken from the anesthetic, things had finally calmed down enough that he could tell her what was going on. Before he even managed to grind his way through the details of the birth, Kana's small hand closed around his.

"Hatori…I remember," she whispered contentedly, "I remember everything."

He stiffened, not knowing what to say.

"Promise me," she pleaded, "that you won't take it away again. I _want_ to remember. That was the only time in my life that I was truly happy."

"I promise," he sighed, "rest now. You've been through so much."

He stroked her forehead as she dropped off again. Pale and sweaty though she was, she was still the most beautiful thing in the world.

_Of all the people in the world,_ he thought, _Ren had to kidnap Kana…_

There was a part of him that was furious, that was full of black anger at Ren for what she had done to Kana, to Melody, to Tianshi even, but there was something else there, too. A tiny pinprick of light, something he hadn't felt in a very long time was slowly awakening amidst that cold darkness. Hope.

Back at the main house, Momiji had just finished dressing himself behind the curtain. The cinnamon-eyed boy was troubled; he wasn't sure if he should remind them that he was there or not. It hurt him to hear Akito snapping at Melody, but he knew better than to intervene. Besides, what she said needed to be heard. It was only after she'd fled that Akito even remembered that Momiji was there.

"Get out here, Rabbit," he demanded.

Momiji appeared from behind the curtains, judiciously silent.

"Not a word to anybody about what you've heard, understood?"

He nodded.

"Do you still want-"

"Out."

Akito's final word to him sounded like a door slamming; it had the same kind of finality to it. Momiji nodded and walked away. While he didn't think it was fair for Akito to take his anger out on Melody (again), he did understand why he was being so cranky.

_He was scared,_ Momiji thought, _I saw the face he was making earlier. He was so terrified that something was going to happen to her. It's always going to be a matter of him being scared of being alone._

He went to find Melody and decided to check on her. Knocking on the door, he called, "Melody?"

"Please don't take this the wrong way," she begged, "but I'm not really in the mood for company."

"Okay, then. Let me know if you change your mind."

Meanwhile, back in the hospital wing, Akito had slid into a troubled sleep. The pain medicine should have kept the dreams at bay, but they didn't. The day's events replayed in his head again over and over. His dark, twisted mind also mutated the events so that there were things added, things in the shadows that also came to hurt him again. He woke, shivering, though he was burning up. Knowing that it was just going to be one of those nights, he sighed. Sometimes, no matter how much medicine was pumped into his veins, he would still stay ill for days on end. Pain shot through his middle. He hadn't eaten in hours, so there was nothing to bring up but acid, which was even more painful. Someone must have called Hatori because it wasn't long before his quiet father-figure was at his side. Kyoko mopped up the puddle of sick in the floor and smoothed her cool hands over his face, telling him that it was going to be all right, that this, too, would pass. He'd have yelled at her if his teeth hadn't been chattering so much. Hatori gave him some other kind of injection, probably something to bring down the fever, but it hadn't yet kicked in. He curled up into a trembling little ball and willed the whole world to just go away. For the millionth time in his life, he wished for death as the fever hallucinations grew more and more surrealistic.

It was Momiji that finally woke Melody. It was the middle of the night, when the defenses are at their weakest and questioning minds are more accepting. She followed him down the hall, her granny-like cotton nightgown making soft swishing noises as she walked. She said nothing to the exhausted Hatori, merely placed a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. He'd had one of the roughest days in history. Kyoko was in the process of bathing a very miserable Akito, as more stomach acid mixed with bile had come up and splashed the front of his gown and part of the sheets. He was already embarrassed enough for that having happened, but something about seeing Melody while in such a vulnerable state made him come unglued. Fevers made everyone emotional. A crystalline tear glittered on his cheek in the dim light before it disappeared.

"Go away," he choked out.

She only came closer. He tried to strike at her, but the fever made his arms so weak that he could barely lift it. It only ended up as a weak tap against her shoulder. More tears of frustration came out.

"You left me," he whispered, "I hate you for that."

"I went out of your sight for a little while," she told him, "but I never really left you."

Though she could not remember the others that she had seen in this state, she knew the pattern. This was what someone looked like when they were truly broken. His face was blazing with fever heat, his eyes glassed over. All the poor guy wanted to do was sleep but the fever wouldn't let him. His poor, inflamed brain was taking forever to process what she had just said. His thin arms curled around his thin frame, trying to conceal the skeletal frame from her.

"Don't look at me."

His voice seemed almost childlike.

"Remember when I said you were beautiful? I did mean it, you know," she told him, "every word. Every breath. Even when you're sick like this."

"You're so strange…"

"Tell me something I don't know."

This brought the tiniest hint of a smile to his face. She spread a towel over his chest to keep him from getting more of a chill than he already had. Kyoko had brought a clean gown for him. Melody's arm supported his back while they slipped it on and tied the back closed. She eased him back on his pillow and smoothed his hair back from his face. Much to her surprise, he leaned into her touch, seeking relief from her cool hands against his flaming cheeks. A clean sheet and a thin blanket that wouldn't hold the fever heat were spread over him.

"Ready?" she asked him. He nodded, arms down at his sides though his fists were clenched to try and stop the shaking so much. She placed one hand on his burning forehead and the other over his heart. The whispered prayers came, followed by the rush of colors and song. A pleasant cooling sensation washed through him, chasing away the ache in his joints and the strange overblown emotions that made him teary. He felt oddly euphoric in that moment, as if the world had turned right-side-up again.

Melody stayed standing. There was no difference than a slight paling of her skin. She felt his protective wall going up again, but said nothing. Hatori checked his temperature.

"It's still a little high," he told Akito, "but nothing dangerous like a moment ago."

No. Nothing compared to that "moment ago". He'd begged for death a moment ago. Now, he was tired and sore, but that would pass.

"You _look_ much better," Momiji pointed out with a yawn.

"I'll live," was the mumbled response.

Some more just-in-case medicines were given. Hatori didn't bother going back to his set of rooms. Kyoko did, but only after Melody's insistence that she could take care of anything else that came up. After what seemed like an eternity, they were alone.

"Stay," was all he had the nerve to mutter.

"Do you care if my music is playing? It's hard for me to sleep without it," she confessed. He shrugged. She turned it on and curled up at the end of the bed with one of the extra pillows and a blanket of her own.

"Good night," she whispered awkwardly before turning off the light.

_What was I thinking?_ He wondered as a soft piano song began to flow through the darkness:

_All along it was a fever_

_A cold sweat hot-headed believer_

_I threw my hands in the air, said, "Show me something,"_

_He said, "If you dare come a little closer."_

_Round and around and around and around we go_

_Oh now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know_

_Not really sure how to feel about it._

_Something in the way you move_

_Makes me feel like I can't live without you._

_It takes me all the way._

_I want you to stay_

_It's not much of a life you're living_

_It's not just something you take – it's given_

_Round and around and around and around we go_

_Oh now tell me now tell me now tell me now you know_

_Not really sure how to feel about it._

_Something in the way you move_

_Makes me feel like I can't live without you._

_It takes me all the way._

_I want you to stay._

_Ooh the reason I hold on_

_Ooh cause I need this hole gone_

_Funny you're the broken one but I'm the only one who needed saving_

_Cause when you never see the light it's hard to know which one of us is caving_

_Not really sure how to feel about it._

_Something in the way you move_

_Makes me feel like I can't live without you._

_It takes me all the way._

_I want you to stay, stay._

_I want you to stay, oh._

Author's Note: The song is called "Stay" by Rihanna featuring Mikky Ekko. While we're at giving credits, I want to thank my wonderful fiancée for letting me steal his laptop all the time And God for sending us the author to give us Fruits Basket in the first place.


	21. Chapter 21

Hatori sat up slowly, feeling the same odd heavy feeling that usually came with oversleeping. His inky hair was sticking out in all directions and he ran his fingers through it to smooth his long bangs down over his scarred eye. The sound of a gentle rain was tapping on the windows. A soft silvery light came from the window that showed the harmless gray-lavender skies overhead. Contrary to the others, he enjoyed days like this. For some reason he could never explain, he felt most at peace when it was raining. Maybe it was the dragon-spirit in him. It was funny how Western dragons were often associated with fire while Eastern ones were associated with water. As he straightened his rumpled clothes, he began to remember the very chaotic events of yesterday. Ren had been arrested at last, Kana was found, the baby was born, and Akito had been struggling with a bout of sickness. He ventured across the floor with almost inaudible footsteps and eased the curtain around Akito's bed open. What he saw couldn't even keep the ghosting of a smile off of even his lips.

Melody had started off at the foot of the bed, he knew. Somehow, she'd ended up side-by-side with Akito. What really made this interesting was that they were facing each other and both sets of arms were curled around the other's waists. Judging by the criss-crossed pattern of ridges beneath the covers, their legs had entwined as well. The little mp3 player that Melody was always carrying around with her still played softly in the background. He winced a little when he heard someone come in.

"How are they?" Tohru asked, her high-pitched voice little more than a whisper, "I heard Akito-sama was unwell last night."

She caught a glimpse of the sleeping Akito and Melody through the space in the curtains and both her hands flew to her mouth. A squeal of excitement threatened to break the spell.

"Oh my!" she finally breathed, backing away. She didn't want to risk waking them.

The Dragon and the Rice Ball stood side by side for a moment in a silent understanding. Hope was flowing through Tohru as well. The door clicked gently as Shigure entered. Tohru put a finger to her lips and he ventured closer.

"Well…_this _looks promising," he whispered, "looks like the ice is beginning to thaw a bit, eh, Hari?"

"We'll see," Hatori said warily. He'd seen Akito sway back and forth to both extremes so much lately that there was no predicting what the "god's" mood would be when he woke up.

"Just for the sake of…less chaos…" Hatori said, "tell the others if they need anything that I will come to them. At least for now. Akito didn't fall asleep until nearly four this morning. As for her, well, she had a difficult day yesterday."

Shigure gave him an understanding wink.

"Gotcha," he said, "come along, little Tohru. We ought not to disturb the happy couple over there."

Tohru's cheeks pinked with excitement as he steered her out of the room.

It was nearly one by the time the two of them finally stirred. It was Akito who woke first. Normally, he'd wake from these spells completely exhausted and cranky. Today, he felt only a haze of contentment. There had been no nightmares or pain. Nothing had woken him up that he could remember—of course, he was probably heavily drugged, so it would be hard to remember anyway. He felt something heavy against his ribs. He twitched a little, an involuntary reflex, and found that his legs were weighted as well. Very cautiously opening his eyes to little more than narrow slits, he saw Melody's sleeping face a mere inch or less from his own.

_How did this happen again?_

He vaguely remembered being chilled at some point last night, but that was all he could remember. She must have curled around him like that to keep him warm. Somewhat embarrassed, a rosy tinge coated his cheeks. Hadn't she ever heard of just grabbing another blanket?

Then he remembered his fever episode. Now he was really embarrassed. What had he said to her last night? He couldn't remember. He could only remember the weakness and the sense of humiliation and exposure he'd felt when she'd seen him almost completely naked. He had boxer shorts on, of course, but they didn't cover much. It had only been for a few minutes, but it still made him cringe. She'd never look at him the same way again most likely. The fever had knocked out the filter on his mind, made him admit he was vulnerable. Strangely enough, though it was embarrassing, it was liberating at the same time. She knew. He'd never be able to pretend it hadn't happened and he wasn't sure he wanted to anymore. All his life, he was told he was some sort of god figure. Was it really such a crime to be just a man once in a while? Gods had no weaknesses, but mere men had plenty.

While he was trying to sort out the growing anxiety in his mind, Melody stirred. She sat up, looking as disoriented as he felt.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to going to sleep in one place and waking up in another," she admitted, not quite meeting his gaze.

"I know what you mean," he responded.

She looked down at her hands in her lap.

"Better today?"

"Yes."

Normally, he liked it when people treated him as though he were a minefield that could go off at any moment, but it was bizarre when Melody did it. In fact, it actually annoyed him. There were one too many things that they needed to clear the air about: the fact that he'd been willing to kill his own mother, the fact that he'd all but said he was more important than "Father"—that was probably a big one—and the fact that he'd scolded her for doing what she was clearly made for. He couldn't ever remember feeling this guilty and it made him almost nauseated. This quiet, distant, anxious Melody was not the real one in his opinion.

_I really can be a bastard when I want to…_he thought miserably. No wonder Ren had been so sure she'd win the bet.

Not knowing where to start, he placed his hand on hers and gave it a good squeeze.

"I'm sorry about last night," he choked out awkwardly, "all of it. I shouldn't have said those things."

"You were sick—"

"Don't make excuses for me. It's my mind and I have to live in it."

She did look up at him, then. There…that was better. It was funny how her eyes actually seemed to change colors with her moods, but it was very subtle. Today, they took on a slightly golden tint.

"Thank you," she said softly.

Akito had learned two things in that moment: apologies were stressful, but they weren't as stressful as letting things stew. And the distance and resistance were far lower afterward…Ren had been wrong about a lot of things, it seemed. His heart monitor betrayed just how little experience he had with things like this. Melody didn't expect anything from him. She was happy enough with that, but she froze in surprise when she got a face-full of his inky hair. He was hugging her, she realized in shock, and putting a fair amount of pressure into it. It only lasted about two or three seconds, but they were something she would always treasure. There was a faint smile on his lips when he released her. A moment of silent understanding passed before both of their stomachs rumbled simultaneously.

"I'll be back," she told him, "hopefully there's a few leftovers. I bet we slept right through breakfast_ and_ lunch."

"All right."

He noticed that she seemed to stumble a little bit. Was it from sleeping in one position all night or something else? An odd bit of pride came from the possibility of _something else._ He was enjoying the idea of someone shaking like that because they really liked him and not from fear.

"Let's get it over with before she comes back," Akito told Hatori without turning his gaze from the door, "I feel naked in this gown."

Hatori took the IV line out so that he could make a quick bathroom run—he hadn't noticed it before, but the pressure on his bladder was getting unbearable and to the point of where he couldn't stay still. Once the urge to squirm was gone, things went much easier. Someone brought one of his many yukatas from his room—a nice navy blue that complemented his coloring—and he took a quick shower and shaved before putting it on. Once that accursed hospital gown was in the clothes basket, he felt much better. Since Hatori had altered all of his clothes, they didn't slip down his shoulders constantly. Without the silk sagging around him, he looked less skeletal.

Melody returned with more food than they could possibly eat, laughing that the cooks were trying to fatten them all up. While she'd been gone, she'd changed as well. The dress that she wore was a minty green. It was ankle-length and quite modest, but the one place that it showed skin was at the top: the sleeves and collar both came below her shoulders, showing them off as well as her collarbone, neck, and part of her back. There was a band of satin that was about two inches wide that drew the eye there with its shiny texture while the rest of the dress was of some type of gauzy material that swished softly when she walked.

"Sorry about the wait," she apologized, "everyone wanted to know if you were feeling better. I told them they wouldn't have to worry about it if you starved to d

There was a mischievous twinkle in her eye as she said it. Akito smirked a little. That sounded like the type of thing he'd come up with.

"I brought some for you, too," she told Hatori. He thanked her politely and took his share off the tray.

"Aren't you going to eat with us?" she asked.

"I would, but I have some things I need to get caught up on. Thank you, though."

He glanced over at Akito. Part of him was itching to ask if he could go and see Kana today, but he was still a bit too wary yet. He didn't have to, though. Akito already knew what he was thinking despite Hatori's carefully masked features. He'd spent years learning to read people's faces for the tiniest clues.

"_Somebody_ brought Kana's memory back," Akito said, glancing pointedly at Melody, "so I want you to go and make sure that Kana doesn't let anything important slip out. Under the influence of all those painkillers, any number of things could come out. She's your responsibility now."

Hatori gave him a respectful bow and went into his office.

"Come on," Akito told Melody, "I'm sick of this place. I'm not eating in here."

She had a very smug grin as they walked down the hallway.

"You realize you've done something really sweet just now," she pointed out.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes, you do. You knew he wanted to go see her and you let him instead of…well, not letting him."

He glanced sideways at her.

"Really, Melody…that hurts my feelings, that you assume I'm nothing but a monster."

Her smile only got bigger.

On their way to his room, they passed Shigure, who gave Melody an appreciative up-and-down sweep of a gaze.

"Oh my…I almost didn't recognize you," Shigure chuckled, "where has this this been hiding?"

"Ayame ambushed me earlier," she confessed, "he came to take Yuki to town for the day."

For some reason, seeing Shigure look at Melody like she was a piece of meat rubbed Akito the wrong way. Getting between them, he asked, "What do you want, Dog?"

Shigure held his hands up in mock surrender.

"Nothing," he said, "just appreciating the view, is all."

"Go appreciate it somewhere else."

Shigure just laughed it off.

"Why, Akito," he said in mock hurt, "if I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to steal our dear little guardian angel away to keep her all for yourself now that she's grown such beautiful feathers."

The tension in the air was mounting, but Shigure knew which buttons to push and which ones were too dangerous.

"Well, I certainly don't want to keep you," he told Melody, "I know how he is when he gets hungry. We'll all see you later."

And with that, he walked away.

"Dumb mutt," Akito muttered.

Melody burst into giggles.

"What?!" he asked, annoyed.

"Oh, nothing. I just remembered something funny, that's all."

Once they were situated, eating and watching a movie on Melody's laptop, Shigure had gathered up Kyo, Tohru, and Yuki and they felt confident enough that things were well and they could go home.

"I think it's getting pretty serious," Shigure told them in the car, "he all but chewed my head off just for giving Melody a compliment."

"If you did your usual perverted stare, I don't blame him," Kyo spoke up.

"Kyo, why do you always think the worst of me?" Shigure asked, giving him the big, dark eyes.

"Don't start that again," Kyo snapped. He was used to Shigure doing the "puppy eyes".

"I saw the dress," Tohru mentioned, "it was beautiful. Ayame showed it to me when he came in."

"He certainly does know what he's doing," Shigure chuckled, "as do I."

"What exactly are you plotting?" Yuki couldn't help but ask, knowing he might regret asking.

"All I did was get Akito to change his perspective a little," Shigure said with a wink, "and judging by the way he snapped at me, I'd say it worked."


	22. Chapter 22

Little Tianshi was growing stronger by the day. Despite being small with weak lungs, she was certainly one of the tougher babies that Hatori had become acquainted with. Kana's condition was also getting better very quickly and she was able to go to the neonatal wing to visit her. Knowing now that being locked away in a little box with no human contact was terrible for babies, the doctors and nurses encouraged as much contact between mother and child as possible. As a result, Kana left her room as much as she was able and could often be found giving Tianshi her bottle or simply just rocking with Tianshi laying against her chest. Hatori's suspicions that she would be a good mother were confirmed.

"They say I'll be well enough to leave soon," Kana told Hatori one day, "but she'll have to stay here for a little bit longer. I don't know how I'm going to bear it."

He sat across from her in silence, letting her talk.

"It's funny," she said, "I wasn't really sure I wanted children when she came along. In fact, I was angry when I found out I was pregnant. It wasn't what either one of us wanted. We'd both decided that there were other things we wanted out of life. But when the day came to have her…destroyed…well, I couldn't go through with it. Takeo was furious. He wouldn't have anything to do with me for a while, and what attention he did give me was negative. Still, I don't regret it at all. She may not have a father for a long while, but she'll always have me."

"Let me know if there's any way I can help," Hatori said.

She rose from her chair and moved to stand just six inches or so in front of him.

"Hatori, we were lovers once," she said, sliding her fingers under his chin and bringing his face up so that they were making eye contact, "I know it's been a long time, but you act as if we're strangers."

He felt the familiar sting in his heart, the one he always had when he saw her after the memory wipe.

"It's for the best," he said, obviously pained, "I don't want you to go through all that again."

"I won't," she assured him, "I'm stronger now, better at handling things. I let it all get to me and for that, Akito was right to push me out. The things he said really hurt, but they were true. I was too weak to handle it."

Her hand stroked over his cheek. Fine little scars, hardly visible, ran down it, spoiling the smooth curve, but she felt them. And something inside her said that these scars would never be in vain again.

"I don't want to risk it a second time," he admitted, "you remember me and you're all right and that's all I could have ever hoped for."

"He's been here, you know," she finally said, "he was here yesterday."

Hatori's eyes went wide, the usual careful mask of indifference shattering.

"He was here?"

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"He came here all on his own. Not even his friend Melody was with him. He asked if he could hold the baby. I had to show him how, as he's never done it before. He sat there with Tianshi for a very long time, and do you know something? She smiled at him. Actually smiled. A lot of the doctors would say it's gas or something, but I know a smile when I see one."

Picturing Akito with a baby was almost as difficult as picturing a pig flying or some other equally bizarre thing.

"Then, he looked at me and said 'maybe you're not as weak as I once thought.' Visiting hours were over at that point, so he had to go."

"I still wonder how none of us found out," Hatori thought out loud, "but then, he was very good at keeping from being seen if he wanted to. That's how he knows everything that goes on in the main house."

The idea of Akito coming up here to see Kana when he wasn't around—or any of the others for that matter—was both thrilling and terrifying. The household god had changed quite a bit since Melody's arrival, but he was still prone to temper fits now and then. It could either be a very good thing or a very scary one.

He realized her hand was still on his cheek. An emotional hunger that he'd kept at bay for so long now bulldozed its way to the front of his mind. He had missed her touch terribly. If only he didn't turn into a seahorse every time he hugged her….

"The divorce is going to be sped up," Kana informed him, "since Takeo has been involved with Ren for a while and since he'll be in prison for a long, long, long time. It shouldn't be more than a few weeks. I can't say I'm really sorry to see him go. It hurts, of course, but the one thing that's kept me from crumbling is knowing you're here almost every day."

She felt the blood rising to his cheeks as her palm warmed.

"I'm glad I could help," was all he managed to say.

She pressed her lips to his forehead and he felt his pulse began to thunder. Almost a whole year and she could still do that…wonders never ceased. The nights he lay awake and allowed himself to daydream (or the nights that he didn't and it happened anyway) were a pale imitation of the real thing. He could hardly believe it was real, hardly dared to. Sooner or later, he knew, these visits would end and everything would go back to the way it was. For now, he pushed those thoughts away. Tomorrow didn't matter. The next day didn't matter. There was no use in worrying about it.

She trailed kisses down the side of his face until she reached his lips. He stayed perfectly still, overwhelmed to the point of his brain shutting completely down. It was as though a part of him had been asleep from the time she'd gone away until now. When it was time to go, she squeezed his hand rather than hugging him so that the spell wouldn't be broken by an inconvenient transformation. He wasn't sure how he managed to get home without getting into some sort of accident; his driving was sheer autopilot.

"Something's different," Akito noticed when Hatori walked past them without noticing them.

"I wish you could see what I see," Melody told him, "he's glowing. Literally."

She turned to face him.

"Would you like to? See what I see, I mean."

He had a smug expression.

"Angel-vision. Is that going to replace 3-D someday?"

"For all of us, one day," she answered, "vision works differently when you aren't limited to flesh."

She placed her hands on either side of his head.

"This may be a little…disorienting…at first," she told him, "but you'll get used to it within a few minutes."

He closed his eyes instinctively. At first, there was only darkness, but the familiar rush of light and color and song flowed into him. He felt something change, though he couldn't name it. Without having opened his eyes yet, he could see a smudgy, misty glowing silhouette of Melody standing in front of him. The dominant color was an electrical blue that faded out to white around the edges. When he studied her more closely, he began to see other colors as well. Memories, thoughts, feelings…he wasn't sure how he knew what he was looking at. They were all shimmering and shifting constantly like a kaleidoscope. All those individual pieces of color came together like a stained glass window and formed a composite whole.

He opened his eyes and it only became more vivid. At first, it almost gave him a headache.

"How do you stand it?" he asked, rubbing his temples.

"Practice. Come on."

They went down the hall to see Hatori. On the way, they passed a couple of maids. One of them had dull, dark colors—she was clearly not having a good day. She had been fighting with her mother and had a headache. Without a word, Melody touched her forehead and the colors began to brighten again. Another one had beautiful, soft pastel colors like spring flowers—she had just learned that she was with child after many years of being barren. Akito was stunned that he could actually see the baby inside her as a separate set of colors and lights. Its first primitive thoughts—nothing more than reflexes, almost—were brilliant sparks within the safe darkness of the womb.

They made it down to the hospital wing after a few minutes. They'd have made it sooner, but Akito kept getting distracted by all these things that he could finally see.

"Humans know about it," Melody explained, "they can sense it, but so many times, they're told to mind their own business and ignore it. The intuition becomes crushed after a while. It's easy for us to get all caught up in everything and lose track of what really binds us together."

There was another thing—there was a faint shimmer to the air itself. Akito saw beads of darkness all over the house, but he also saw light as well.

"Ah, you've noticed it," she pointed out, "you see that pure white light? Father."

The hospital wing had some clusters of shadow in it, Melody pointed out, because a lot of pain and sickness had been endured there. But it also had its share of miracles, which left brightly colored little lights dancing there. He could see the life forces of other people through walls.

Hatori was in his office. The brightness shone all around him—it was almost blinding. There were colors there that Akito had never even known existed. Where the "auras" of others sometimes flashed or pulsed, his swirled and twisted, never sitting still.

"So that's literally what love looks like," Melody whispered.

Akito suddenly felt cold all over. Another presence had entered—and this one was negative. He turned to see a dark silhouette oozing out of the wall like an unwanted stain. The shape was indistinct, but it was enough to tell that this was a bad thing. He poked Melody in the shoulder, gesturing at it.

"It's Hatori's turn today," she confirmed.

"Go stop it!" he demanded.

"I can't," she told him, "not yet."

"Why not? Wouldn't it be easier for you to just tell it to go away than have to haul it out of him? You got really sick the last time."

"I know," she said reluctantly, "but that one is bound to him. I have to go inside and sever the bond. Plus, Hatori has to accept Father as God, too. You know we can't do it without him."

It was sickening to watch that dark creature cross the room. It knew they were there and it seemed to be taunting them. All at once, Hatori stiffened and seemed to go unconscious. When he opened his eyes, his gaze was cold and distant.

"Get out," he snapped at them.

"You can't talk to us like that," Akito addressed the demon, "you have no power here."

Hatori's usually gentle voice came out rough and almost hysterical: "You're one to talk, Akito the god-man! It took this repulsive creature here to make you see that!"

Akito felt his blood boiling.

"She isn't repulsive!" he argued.

"Isn't she? An angel wearing flesh? So beneath her. And you fail to recognize the truth…at least when you're awake. You think I haven't seen what you dream about? I watch you when you're drugged. You're not as frosty as you act."

"What's he talking about?" Melody asked.

"Never mind," Akito said through gritted teeth, "now are we going to toss the bastard out or what?"

"He wants you, you know," Hatori's voice said coldly, "he dreams of taking your innocence."

"Shut up!" Akito snapped.

"Don't let him rile you, Akito. He's just trying to distract us."

"You want him, too, don't you? You could have had him last night," the abomination continued, "but you're too cowardly to take your chances. His skin was bare under your hands."

Hearing Hatori talk like this was disturbing. Akito decided he'd had enough. There was a flash of something silver—Melody had intercepted a syringe from him. She placed both hands on his chest and shoved him backwards. He fought back and managed to throw her off of him before Akito grabbed one arm and twisted it behind his back. Between the two of them, they managed to force him into the floor. It wasn't easy, as he was twice as strong in his possessed state. It was by far the most frightening thing Akito had ever seen—the Dragon's eyes had an unnatural glow about them. A flash and they were inside his head—all three stopped struggling and were still.

The place that they had landed was unlike all the others. They were outdoors, or what looked like it, this time. Blinding snow whipped in every direction and there was slippery ice beneath their feet.

"He always said he was like the winter," Akito pointed out, half-heartedly making an attempt at a joke.

"Yes…and he's probably at the eye of this storm," Melody pointed out, "let's try to find him.

Something roared overhead and the ground shook, cracking with a sharp bang that sounded like a gun. Akito almost fell, but Melody caught him and helped him right himself.

"Oh, boy…Akito, you're about to meet the dragon spirit."

He didn't like the sound of that. They were lost and confused with no landmark to tell them where they were. It was hard to see and only their clinging tightly to each other's hands kept them from getting lost. Akito could hear his heart beating in his ears. For a moment, the whirling snowflakes might thin, but it never lasted long. His nose and ears were beginning to sting and he felt smothered. The wind made the usually gentle and harmless flakes feel like a thousand needles slapping against his skin. Melody seemed guided by some inner compass and he hoped that she knew where she was going.

Suddenly, he saw movement—larger movement than snowflakes—and yelled in surprise. An enormous mouth, bigger than him, bit into the ice where he'd been just a fraction of a second before. Two rows of very, very sharp teeth—each as long as his arm—bit into the ice. Realizing it had missed its target, the dragon let out a deafening roar and exhaled a gout of flame. Melody jerked him so hard that it felt like his arm had dislocated, but she'd gotten him out of the path of the flames. Snow and ice sizzled and cracked, billowing up steam as the flames hit. They ran, having only sound to guide them. Just as Akito thought he was going to throw up from the exhaustion, they reached an area where the air was still.

"We found it," Melody panted, shaking all over. She was as tired as he was.

The area was a huge circular place, the snow held out by a whirling wall of wind. There were large spikes of ice sticking up, various things frozen in place inside them. Much to Akito's horror, what looked like a casket was laying right in the middle of it. He didn't want to go over there, but he knew he had no choice. It was tragically beautiful, a slight bluish tint and obscuring the figure inside. He heaved open the lid to see a waxen, pale, very dead-looking Hatori.

"Hatori, wake up!" Akito pleaded, shaking him. He heaved open the other part of the lid, as a casket lid has two parts. Hatori would not wake. Akito realized that he was being held in place by what looked like manacles and chains made of pure ice.

"How do we break these?" he asked Melody.

"I don't know," she confessed, "but we better do it fast. That dragon's on its way back."

Akito grumbled to himself and looked around, hoping for something that could break the chains or maybe unlock them.

"Is there any chance that it's like before?" he asked her.

"Probably," she answered, "if you mean that the dragon might have a key or something."

Akito groaned.

"Well…that's just great," he muttered, "I got rid of a me-impostor. I can take on any woman with her guts falling out—but dragons? I don't know about this."

"We have to try," she responded.

Now that they were out of the snow, they could see the dragon. Again, it was almost a pity about how tragically beautiful it was. Just like Hatori, it had jade green eyes. In keeping with tradition, it had a very long body and moved through the air like a snake made of water. Rippling and twirling and moving impossibly fast, it descended towards them. Akito watched it with a growing sense of recklessness. Suddenly, he spotted something shiny caught on one of the dragon's spikes: a crystal key.

"Come on, you overgrown lizard!" he hissed under his breath. The dragon charged at him. Dodging the dragon's fire-breath, he leapt and hoped he wasn't making a big mistake. His hands grabbed onto two spikes and he realized he was flying. Fear mixed with thrill sent the adrenaline coursing through his body. Then, he started to feel queasy…he was so high up!

The dragon plunged back into the snowstorm. Now, there was no pleasure in the flight. It slammed into walls of ice, trying to dislodge him. Akito felt pain shoot through one of his legs, but his fury had given him strength. He was not going to let go.

"Nice try, but I've been pissed off longer than you!" he taunted the beast. It snarled and whipped end-over-end, trying to bite him. Akito moved and the beast ended up drawing its own blood. Falling back towards the earth with a shriek, the two of them were still fighting. Akito was dislodged upon impact and sent rolling. He grunted in pain as the wind was knocked out of his lungs. Melody stared at him in shock.

"The key!" he wheezed, "Get that key!"

She did, but the dragon's jaws closed around her, causing her to drop it. Akito seized the key, torn between helping her and letting Hatori out.

"GO!" she yelled, though she was muffled a bit.

Akito did as she told him to. Worried when he heard flames behind him, he jammed the key into the lock holding the chains together. Then, he hauled Hatori out of the casket.

"Wake up, please!" he pleaded.

Melody was bleeding badly. Her blood stained the snow a morbid rosy color as she struggled to escape from the dragon. One arm was singed and the skin was blackened. Akito thought he'd vomit.

"Thank you…" Hatori whispered, starting to come to now that he was out of his icy prison. His eyes slid closed. While there was nothing tangible to suggest that he had spoken to Father, he must have, for the dragon suddenly smashed into the ground and was still. Melody, breathing heavily, leaned against one of the ice spikes. The howling winds stopped.

"It's over," she announced, relieved, as they disappeared in a flash of light.

Hatori slowly opened his eyes. He was sore all over as if he'd been beaten within an inch of his life. At first, the old fears surfaced and he was afraid that he'd done something wrong. Perhaps Akito had found out about Kana's kiss…

But then, he saw their worried faces as they knelt over him.

"Better?" Melody asked. Even now, her face was obscured by light and color. He saw her color paling, but that was the only visual marker.

"Thank you," he said shakily, sitting up. The soreness was fading rapidly. She gently placed her arms around him, showing him that he wouldn't transform. After going all his life without being hugged—at least on purpose—it was odd to finally feel the pressure without the inevitable screaming of protest inside his head.

"No more broken bones for you," Akito affirmed, "you should take the rest of the day off."

The next day, when he went to see Kana, he was informed by the nurses that she'd been discharged. Frustrated that he hadn't gotten a chance to say goodbye, he took the envelope that had his name written on the outside of it and unfolded the letter in the elevator.

Dear Hatori,

Thank you for all the time you've spent with me and Tianshi. Your visits have been a blessing. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to tell you goodbye, but Akito thought it was for the best and I agreed with him. I must ask you not to look for me, as I don't want anything bad to happen. I still love you, though, and I always will.

Forever yours,

Kana.

Hatori felt his heart drop towards his stomach. All that yesterday, all that trouble of breaking his curse for this? Life could be really unfair sometimes. But as always, he was his usual stoic self, though disappointed. He couldn't believe Akito had suddenly decided, after pushing them together, to break them up again. The man was beyond cruel. He wondered if Melody knew yet and what she thought of the situation. Sighing, he got in the car and tossed the letter into the backseat. In a brief instant, he let his temper manifest in the smacking of his hand against the steering wheel. He lit a cigarette and made himself wait there in the parking lot until he got his temper under control. No good would come of him being on the road like this. After he'd smoked three cigarettes in a row, he decided to go back to the house and face the music. Akito probably wasn't pleased with him.

Sure enough, the kimono-clad little snot was waiting for him when he pulled in.

"Where have you been, Hatori? I came in for my checkup this morning and there was no sign of you. No phone call, no note, no nothing."

Now that the curse had been broken, Hatori realized just how furious he was with Akito. He despised his smug tone, his dark smiles. Mental conditioning, however, prevented him from lashing out.

"I'm sorry," he said, bowing respectfully, "I had heard Kana was being discharged today and I just wanted to check on her."

"I see," Akito said coldly, "someone didn't learn their lesson the first time."

Here it comes, Hatori thought miserably.

"Come with me," he said, "you know what happens when you break the rules."

It was funny how someone easily a foot shorter than him and nearly half his weight could intimidate him so easily. Hatori followed him obediently though he really, really didn't want to. He knew no life outside of the curse.

"It's a pity you ran off like that," Akito told him as they walked down the hallway, "I'd gotten you a little present to celebrate your freedom. And just to show you that I'm not a monster, I'll let you have it before we discuss your punishment."

They reached a dark room.

"In," Akito instructed him. Bracing himself for who-knew-what, Hatori stepped inside first. Akito closed the door menacingly behind them before flipping on the light switch.

The first thing he saw was Melody's grinning face. She was sitting on the end of a couch. On the other end….

"Kana," he whispered in shock.

Tianshi was cuddled against her chest. She was wearing a particularly flattering lavender dress that Melody had picked out for her. Judging by the state of her things and the empty suitcase laying on the floor, she was already moved in.

Akito was actually laughing.

"Poor Hatori," he said, "you should have seen the look on your face!"

"It wasn't easy getting all this stuff in here without you noticing," Melody admitted, "we pulled some late nights."

"Why?" he couldn't help but blurt out.

"When Melody gave me her 'angel-vision' yesterday," Akito told him, "I saw your memory. I heard everything she said. Not that I meant to pry, really. It was an accident."

"Does this mean…"

"Yes, it does," Akito confirmed, "provided that's what Kana wants, of course."

There was no need for her to answer. The smile gave it all away.

"Come on," Melody whispered to Akito, "they'll probably want some time to talk about it. Alone."

She steered him out of the room and gave them a knowing smile.


	23. Chapter 23

The sultry, dry heat of August faded into September. While the rain had been falling regularly for a while, several weeks passed where the skies remained a blazing blue. Stepping outside made one feel as if they were being blasted with radiation. Even at night, things did not cool down. Akito didn't like to see the flowers in the garden wilting and drying out, but there wasn't much that could be done about it. He limited his time outside to night, and even then he didn't stay out long. The heat was too oppressive on his fragile body. Thankfully, boredom was a decreasing problem, as the others were starting to get slightly less wary of him. Even when Melody was busy with helping Hatori with one patient or another in the hospital wing (heat stroke and dehydration were common this time of year), they would still ask him to join them. He still remained quiet, but the tension wasn't there anymore.

During one such night, the kids had been taking turns with Melody's X-Box and her games. After they had been summoned for bed by their parents, he volunteered to put all the things back in her room. He paused when he heard more than one voice.

"I know we're all connected by Father," Melody pointed out, "but I never realized so many of you shared this last name—if I were to draw your family tree, it would probably look more like a spider's web!"

"That's very true," Kana admitted, "but I wouldn't trade it for anything. I'm still glad to have my memories back. This place may be full of ghosts, but it's full of wonderful memories, too."

Akito moved so that only the upper half of his face was visible, but the women weren't paying attention to him. There were four of them: Melody, Kana, Tohru, and Isuzu. He was a little surprised to see Isuzu there. A fifth, Kagura, was laying sprawled out on the bed. He hadn't noticed her at first because she was asleep.

"This is going to be a big party," Isuzu said, "I'm just glad I'm not doing the dishes!"

They all shared a laugh at that. Though the door was open, Akito tapped on the frame to get their attention.

"I'm returning these," he said, carefully placing the duffle bag full of gaming items just inside the door.

"Thanks! Oh, wow…it's nearly midnight," Melody observed, glancing at the clock on her laptop, "no wonder Kagura passed out. She has to get up early tomorrow for her first day with her new job…"

He noticed that there were three open boxes in the floor: one had what looked like invitations, one had envelopes, and one box held the enveloped invitations that had been addressed. From the looks of it, the girls had made a fair amount of progress in one day.

"We got the invitations back from the printer," Kana told Akito, "would you like to see?"

She gave him one. The paper felt stiff and had a parchment-like quality to it. A border of pale green leaves twined around the outside. In script-like black lettering, it detailed the place and time of the wedding. Underneath was a picture that Melody had taken of Hatori and Kana with little Tianshi between them. Tianshi's eyes were open now and they were the same warm brown as Kana's. It made him feel somewhat better to know that the baby didn't take after Takeo much.

"Very nice," he responded, handing it back.

"I'd give you yours," Melody said with a sheepish grin, "but it's kind of lost in that pile right there—since your first name starts with 'A', it was the first one in."

She moved to dig through it, but he shook his head.

"That's all right," he mumbled, "I can wait until the others are mailed. Hatori made me his best man anyway."

"Did he? That's great! Now we all get to be in it!" Melody exclaimed. She looked like a little kid at Christmas.

"Speaking of Hatori…I don't suppose you've seen him recently?" Kana asked.

"Still in his office," Akito informed her, "I know how much women like to take pictures of disgustingly cute things, so you've got a photo opportunity. He's asleep in his chair and Tianshi is asleep on him."

As predicted, they all got shiny-eyed with big smiles.

"I'll be back," Kana said warmly. She retrieved the digital camera on her way out. Melody giggled.

"You'd never know he's not related to Tianshi," she said to the rest of them, "he's been glued to her since we surprised him by moving Kana in. He won't let her out of his sight unless he has to."

"He's always wanted to be a father," Akito replied. The lack of enthusiasm in his own voice stemmed from the fact that he couldn't see the appeal that babies held to others. They cried over the oddest things, they were usually dripping with goo from one end or the other, and they had little red wrinkly faces that made them look like old people for a while. He'd only held Tianshi twice—the second time around, she'd thrown up on him. It didn't bother him that he wasn't as excited as the others—he'd leave the baby-doting to the girls for now.

He glanced down at the battered cardboard box. There had to be well over a hundred invitations in there and there was still what looked like half a list to go.

"I had no idea we knew this many people," he admitted, "I'm dreading the postage bill."

"It'll be worth it," Melody assured him, "Hatori may keep to himself, but he's touched a lot of lives."

Akito's dark blue eyes skimmed down the list. He paused when he saw a name he didn't recognize. Then another. Then another.

"Wait—who are all these people?" he asked, "I don't know them."

"They're former patients of his," Melody informed him, "back when he was still working at the clinic in town. I saw a few of the thank-you cards in one of the desk drawers when I was cleaning it out."

"Does Hatori know about that?" Akito asked.

"Well…he was standing right there when I was going through them," Melody said sheepishly. Her cheeks bloomed and Akito knew he'd caught her doing something not necessarily wrong, but still a bit underhanded.

"You are so busted," Isuzu mumbled under her breath. Akito's mischievous grin made Melody squirm.

"Aw, come on! Is it really such a big deal if we invite other people?" Melody asked.

"Hatori doesn't like surprises, remember," Akito said, holding the list out of her reach. She tried to grab it, but he backed away.

"You're not very fast for an angel," he teased.

"Gimme that!" Melody tried again to snatch the list, but he passed it from one hand to another behind his back.

"Nope. I think I'm going to hold onto this," he said coolly, "see what other secrets you're keeping from me."

"UUUUHHHHH!" Melody whined, trying to stand on her toes to reach it. Why did she have to have such short arms?!

"Isuzu, Tohru, help me!" Melody pleaded.

Tohru was laughing too much.

"Sorry," Isuzu said, "you're on your own here."

He wasn't sure why he was keeping the list away. Her growing childlike frustration amused him, though. Seeing as it wasn't really hurting her in any way, he was enjoying this laugh at her expense.

Melody threw both arms around him, but he squirmed out of her grip and dodged her next attempt to catch him. Everyone else was too busy laughing (and being stunned at the same time) at this odd change of behavior. Akito's face was growing red from laughter as well as Melody's and his shaking lungs were slowing him down. Kagura had woken up from all the noise and was watching as well.

"You're so asking for it!" Melody told him.

"Am I?"

Without any warning whatsoever, she picked him up all the way and slung him over her shoulder as if he weighed no more than a sack of potatoes. It was by far the most awkward and undignified position he could remember being in: his butt was sticking up in the air and he was so surprised that he actually did drop the paper then.

"Hey! Put me down!" he ordered her.

"Nope," she said impishly, "you may be faster, but I'm stronger than you."

"Put me down," he repeated more firmly. It sort of scared him that a woman—one who was less than fit at that—could lift him so easily. Everyone had gone silent by that point, the laughter trickling off. No one ever touched Akito without his permission, let alone handled him like that.

"As you wish," Melody said, still grinning. Making sure to keep him away from the list, she dumped him unceremoniously on the bed where he actually bounced a couple of times. To add insult to proverbial injury, she retrieved the list, rolled it up, and whacked him in the head with it as if he were a disobedient dog. It didn't hurt; he barely felt it. Slightly disoriented from being tossed like that, he looked up at her with big eyes shining out from under a curtain of very disheveled dark hair. Melody stuffed the rolled-up list in her pocket.

"Maybe now you'll behave."

WHUMP!

The pillow caught her off-guard. It hit her in the face and dropped to the floor with a soft poof.

Her grin widened.

"So…let's take a vote on where I can drop him next," Melody said, picking up the pillow that Akito had thrown at her, "he looks a little hot—maybe the pond out there. What say you?"

No one really dared to say anything other than gasping with laughter.

"You wouldn't," he pressed her.

"Oh, trust me," she said, slowly moving closer, "I would!"

"She would!" Kagura warned, "Trust me! She did the same thing to Kyo the other day!"

"For what?" Akito couldn't help but ask.

"For sneaking up on her and scaring her!"

"You'd have to catch me, first," Akito said, zinging off the bed. He wasn't in that good of shape, but neither was Melody. She didn't try to run, though. She just merely advanced on him, knowing he would probably tire himself out in a moment or two.

Akito flattened himself against a wall, hiding from her. His sides ached and his heart was thundering. He knew she wasn't going to hurt him or anything—this was nothing more than some childish game. A part of him was disbelieving that he was actually acting like this. Where was it coming from? He couldn't even remember behaving this way when he was young. Part of it could have been that he really did want to prove he could escape from her. But then, there was a part of him who _wanted_ to be caught.

"GOTCHA!"

Melody came from around the other corner, having gone through a room that had doors on both sides. Akito almost jumped out of his skin, as she'd come from behind him. He turned around, but it was too late. She was going too fast to really stop, anyway. They collided and fell, all tangled up. The wooden floor felt hard enough when he smacked into it, but it felt a whole lot harder when Melody slammed into him. The odd thing was, the pain only made him laugh more. Melody's laughter mingled with his, childlike and high-pitched with shrieks. It took them both several seconds to stop it.

Then, the realization set in…

He could feel each breath, in and out, that hitched and hiccupped through her lungs. Her own heartbeat could be felt through the thin material of his yukata and her summer dress. In fact, he was hyper-aware of that maddened pulse. Her fleshy figure was soft and had a lot of give to it, where his was wiry and angular. Their surprised faces were only about an inch from each other, their shining gem-colored eyes fixed on the opposing pair. He had instinctively wrapped his arms around her on the way down to try to keep from falling, but it had only served to overwhelm her with gravity. His arms were still there. In fact, the whole world had seemed to freeze just then. His cheeks burned feverishly. Whether it was the sheer awkwardness of the situation or because her heft was mashing the blood up into his face, he couldn't have said.

"Are you all right?" she asked, rolling sideways off of him.

"I think my backside's a little bruised," he admitted, "but I've had worse."

She straightened the collar of his yukata, as it had gone slightly askew.

"I still caught you," she reminded him.

"Yeah—by squashing me into the floor," he shot back, "that was a cheap victory."

"Maybe next time you'll believe me," she said smugly.

_Don't think about how she smells like lavender, don't think about it…_

"Remember," he said, trying and failing miserably at sounding intimidating, "what goes around comes around."

"If you say so."

"I'm going to bed before you actually break something."

"Good night, then," she said quietly.

The two of them separated. There were awkward questions to deal with, as everyone wanted to know what on earth had just happened.

"Now you're in trouble," Isuzu pointed out.

"Why?" Melody asked as they put away the rest of the invitations for tomorrow.

"He's picking on you."

"So what? He picks on everybody."

"This is a different kind of picking on. He likes you."  
"Of course he likes me. We're fr—"

"No. Not that kind of like."

When the others burst into giggles, Melody suddenly did not know what to think.

"I've never seen Akito-sama this playful," Tohru observed, "he's usually very serious…and sad."

"And crankier than a gym teacher on PMS," Isuzu chimed in.

"Isuzu!" Kagura said through bouts of shocked laughter.

"Oh, come on. You know it's true. The only time boys act the fool like that is when they feel something. It's been coming for a long time—you're both just too blind to see it."

Isuzu ran her fingers through her short hair, glad it was growing out now.

"You should have seen Haru," she said, "he used to pull my hair, take my stuff, do everything in his power to get me to come after him. When I followed Kagura's advice and ignored him, you'd think I'd have punched him in the groin. It was his way of trying to get me to pay attention."

She gave a small smile at the memory.

"He still acts silly from time to time. But don't tell him I said anything—he's got his precious image to maintain."

Kana returned, inquiring about the noise in the hallway. Eager to change the subject, Melody asked if she'd gotten the picture.

"Awwww," they chorused in unison. Tianshi had her thumb in her mouth and was using the crook of Hatori's elbow as a pillow. Hatori's head was bowed forward, but there was the ghosting of a smile on his lips.

"She's still getting over that ear infection," Kana explained, "I was with her all day and he wanted to give me a break. He must have gone by there to get her ear drops. I did wake him up so that he could go to bed properly—Tianshi's in her crib right now. I didn't want him waking up with a neck-ache. My wedding present for him is going to be a new chair."

"He doesn't know about this picture, does he?" Isuzu asked mischievously.

"No, why?"

"He hates having his picture taken. Melody practically had to bribe him."

Kana grinned.

"He'll just have to get used to it. I'm very camera happy."

Akito took his time getting ready for bed. He knew he was going to be really sore when he woke up, but that was the least of his problems. As he stripped off his outer yukata and lay it over the chair, he could still feel Melody's heartbeat pounding against his chest and her struggling breaths as the laughter had faded from her lungs. That lavender smell mixed with her natural saltiness still stuck in his nose. Having been ill so much, he'd had experience with many smells like that—bleach, disinfectant, his own vomit. But he'd never had a _good_ smell stick like that…

It was ridiculously hot in here.

He stripped off the inner yukata as well and tossed it over the back of the chair as well. No one in their right mind was going to come into his room without permission anyway. Sliding between the sheets, he relished the coolness of his bed against his bare skin. He wouldn't be sorry to see summer go. But then there would only be a short time where the temperature was perfect. He hated the cold almost as much as he hated the heat.

Would Melody still be here then?

They had broken three curses together: the rat, the monkey, and the dragon. It had taken approximately two months to do so. There were fourteen of them in all: nine regular Zodiac members, Kyo, and himself. Four months would be enough to break the regulars, then maybe two more for Kyo and himself, give or take. In all, he estimated that the time this all would take was about six months.

Six months…it didn't seem like very long at all. Since he had been ill, he had a special perspective on time. Suddenly, he didn't know what to think. Only six months maximum…what if the pattern changed and it was less? It felt as if Melody had always been around. For all he knew, she had. He'd never paid close attention to the doves or the other birds that came to land on his shoulders or his fingers. What if one of them had been green-eyed and he hadn't noticed?

Akito was staring up at the ceiling, wide-eyed.

_And after that six months…_

He didn't want to think about it, but the possibility was glaring him in the face. The entire time she had been here, he'd been wrapped up in his own future death. But what about her? She appeared to have even less time than he did.

He didn't get much sleep that night and was up early the next morning. Just as the world was washed in sunlight the color of weak tea, he gave up on trying to sleep and got dressed. The mornings, at least, were slightly cooler than the rest of the day was. Sliding back the door, Akito stepped outside. He heard some music coming from the other side of the garden. There was no mistaking that violin—he hadn't realized, for some reason, that it had survived the fire. So…she was awake as well.

At least now he could ask.

She wore a matching skirt and dress that were the same hazy blue as the sky. The music she was playing had a soft, lilting, gentle tune, almost like a lullaby. She glanced up at him as the song came to a close.

"Hey. I didn't know anyone else was awake," she admitted. Scooting over on the bench that she sat on, she gestured with her bow for him to sit with her. He did, thankful it was in the shade.

"Back hurting?" she asked.

"No. Not really," he said truthfully, "it was a little earlier, but it's gone now that I've gotten moving."

"Something else, then?"

He didn't bother to ask how she knew. Hatori himself had always said that he was as easy to read as a book if anyone stopped to watch his body language.

"Yes."

"Want to talk about it?"

He stared down at his bare feet, not quite sure how to ask.

"What happens when you break all our curses?"

It wasn't very subtle, but it could have been worse.

"Well, I'm assuming that I'll go home after my job here is done," Melody said without any hint of fear or bitterness, "after all, I have the soul of an angel. This flesh is only meant to be temporary—it will wear out before long."

"How long do you have until…you go home?" he asked reluctantly.

"That would be up to Father," Melody said frankly, "only He knows when we're ready."

"And you're okay with it?"

"I have to be," she answered, "being upset's not going to change anything. Besides, I can't remember much about home anymore. Having my memory back will be nice. I don't remember Father's face or His voice…it's like there's a big void of nothingness where all that used to be in my head. Have you ever tried your hardest to remember something only to feel like there's a wall separating you from the information?"

He nodded.

"It's not all bad," she told him, "besides, you'll have all the others with you. You won't be lonely when I'm gone."

"I don't want you to go."

His heart rate probably doubled as he realized what he'd just said.

"You don't?"

"No."

"I was under the impression that you wanted me gone," Melody said gently.

"At first, maybe. You were so annoying. You were worse than Tohru. The idea of having you both around just made me sick. But then…something happened. Something I have no words for."

When he finally dared look up at her again, she was smiling.

"I'm going to miss you," he said bravely.

She rested her head against his shoulder.

"And I will miss you."

He remembered her sleeping in the hospital with him, curled around him protectively. He remembered yesterday when they had temporarily become children again and the house was full of laughter. He remembered how she'd stood up to him when he was angry. He remembered the way she'd made him rethink so many things…and now…

He wrapped one arm around her.

"Someday, you're going to find someone to share your life with," Melody said, "and she'll have all of you as a wonderful family. And she'll love you for the rest of your lives. And there won't be a curse. You'll all just be you."

"No, there won't," he said, "because there's only one I'd ever want, only one I'd ever consider."

"Who, then?"

"You."


	24. Chapter 24

"Your heart rate's a little high," Hatori observed, listening through the stethoscope. Akito saw Melody out of the corner of his eye—she was stripping one of the beds down and changing the sheets. Though he didn't move, didn't say anything, didn't even so much as twitch, his heart seemed to be determined to betray him. He felt it start crashing around in there against his ribcage like a caged bird.

Vaguely surprised, Hatori looked up. Melody was stuffing the sheets into one of those clothes hampers that had wheels on it.

"Melody? Would you do me a little favor? Koichi wasn't feeling well last night—could you go and ask his mother how he's doing?"

She turned around and squirted a little bit of hand sanitizer into her palms.

"Sure. Do you need me to take any medicine to them?"

"Not until we see how he's doing."

"All right. I'll be back."

They watched her cross the room and close the door behind her.

"Did something happen between you two? Your pulse almost tripled when you saw her."

Akito laughed, a harsh, awkward, grating sound.

"Yes…funny thing about that…it only happens when she's around. Quite annoying, actually."

"Well?" Hatori pressed.

Akito sighed.

"I was thinking about something she'd said a long time ago," he admitted, "she said that she'd only be here as long as she was needed to break the curses. We've broken three of them in two months. I did the math and I realized that she would only need about six months or so to break all of them if we continued at this pace. Then, I asked her what would happen once they were all broken. She said she would 'go home'."

Hatori's expression was troubled and sympathetic.

"She's going to die, basically," Akito lamented, "then she starts spouting off all this nonsense about how I'm going to live a very long and full life and how I'll meet someone else and fall in love and all this other romantic crap. I said it wouldn't happen and she wanted to know why. And I told her that I'd only ever really considered one person to share all that with. Her."

He seemed very agitated.

"And I'm guessing her reaction wasn't….what you wanted," Hatori prompted.

"No. She had the gall to be upset with me," Akito snapped, "over something stupid. She wanted to know why suddenly figuring out that she would die changed my opinion of her."

"Did it?"

Akito squeezed the back of his neck. He often got stress migraines and he felt one coming on now.

"No. Yes. I'm not sure, exactly…sometimes I'd find that thought creeping in when my guard was down and I'd be furious with myself. Anyway, she ran away from me. I didn't know where she'd gone until just now."

When he looked up at Hatori again, his navy-colored eyes were full of weariness and uncertainty. He looked very old and very young at the same time.

"What do I do?"

"Give it time," Hatori suggested, "she's probably got as much to come to terms with as you do. I can't see her staying upset over a thing like this for long. Until then, just…try to be supportive. You know what it's like, of all people, to know you only have so much time left."

He nodded, a bitter smile on his face.

"Yes…and of having what I wanted always taken from me."

By the time Melody returned, Akito's check-up was over and he was gone.

"Still throwing up," she announced grimly, "though I did manage to calm it down some. He's still fighting the food poisoning, though."

Hatori found some liquid stomach medicine and mixed in some flavoring to make the stuff easier to swallow.

"Directions are on the side here," he pointed out.

"All right, then. I'll be back."

She didn't really act any different, but there was a certain grimness in her demeanor. She went about her chores quietly and didn't really laugh or joke around as much as she usually did. Even when she healed people, she went about it almost mechanically. It was as if that inner light she carried had been completely snuffed out.

Akito didn't see her the rest of the day. He wandered around out in the gardens for a bit even though it was disgustingly hot out there, but he didn't find her. He roamed the halls like a ghost, hoping he'd "accidentally" bump into her. Still no luck. Later on, he overheard someone mention the girls going to town together to mail off the wedding invitations.

_She's avoiding me…_

After that, he gave up. It was no use. He could order her to come to him, but what good would that do? He returned to his room and lay down, but sleep wouldn't come. His eyes were closed, but the images of what could have been flowed behind them. Here, he'd been wishing for death for so long just to get it over with. Now, more than anything, he desired life. He wanted to experience all the stupid, silly things that came with growing up. He pondered what it was like to be in a real classroom; maybe he would try going to university. His grades had always been more than good enough and he'd done very well on the entrance and exit exams.

_What would I study, though?_

He'd never really developed many interests, since he'd always assumed anything he did would ultimately be a waste of time. One day often ran right into the next for him.

Six months…

Six months in which everything and everyone he knew would change. Would it be enough?

Using his talent of remaining unseen, Akito lurked in the hallways until he heard the gate swing open and the girls getting out of the car. They were all talking up a storm; it took him several minutes to decipher the girly chatter.

"I've always wanted to hold a costume party since I was a little girl," Kana said, "instead of having everyone in matching very expensive dresses, having them all maybe dressed like their Zodiac forms."

"Do you think they'd be all right with that?" Isuzu wondered, "I guess I don't really mind, but what about the others?"

"It wouldn't hurt to ask," Melody said, "I know it's caused some of you a lot of bother, but I can't really view it as a curse. It brought all of you together. And wouldn't Kisa just look adorable in a dress with tiger stripes?"

_Ayame will have a field day with this…_Akito thought.

"Well…what about Tohru? She's not…well…an animal," Isuzu pointed out.

"I know what we could turn her into," Kagura said smugly, "a red butterfly! Like her mother."

Tohru's blue-green eyes widened.

"How did you know about that?" she asked.

"You think we weren't listening when we hung out with Uo and Saki?" Kagura asked, "Besides, I saw the jacket Saki was wearing."

"I thought they were annoying at first," Isuzu admitted, "but they actually weren't that bad."

So…that's where they had been.

"I wish I could have brought them here," Tohru admitted, "they've been wondering what it's like inside. But I haven't asked Akito's permission yet."

_That's all we need…two more silly little girls running around._

"I wonder if he would let them come," Tohru finally said, "I should have asked yesterday when he came to return Melody's games, but I completely forgot."

"I'm sure if _Melody_ asks him, it will be all right," Isuzu teased, "he's turning to jelly in her hands."

"Is not," Melody muttered, "besides, they've been your friends much longer than they have mine. I think it would mean more coming from you."

They started coming inside, all of them soaked in sweat from the heat, but looking mostly happy. It didn't escape his attention that Melody was still being quite reserved.

"As long as Saki stops talking about how strange my waves are," she pointed out, "and how strange everyone else's waves are from the Zodiac. It makes me a little bit nervous."

"That's because you're the one who usually makes everyone else nervous," Isuzu pointed out.

"Yeah…sorry about all that," Melody said, "I've been told I either creep them out or make them sick. Not the best thing for a healer to do…"

Akito watched them stream down the hallway and followed them, moving soundlessly as a shadow. He still had Melody's gift of sight; he'd realized he could turn it off and on at will, but it switched on involuntarily. The soft glows of their auras flashed into view and he noticed that Melody's was dimmer, hugging her skin more closely, while the others stuck out by at least an inch.

"Okay, what gives? You were all giggly and happy yesterday and now you're more depressing than Saki—or me. Did you two have a fight?" Isuzu asked.

"No. Not really."

"Then what is it?"

"Akito found out…something…and, well, it's actually harder for me to accept than it is for him."

"He has a gift for that," Kana acknowledged, "sometimes he finds out before we do on certain things. It's his 'god' state."

"Well? What was it?"

Melody didn't want to tell them. With the wedding being only a couple of weeks away, she was reluctant to reveal anything that would dampen the happiness and the excitement.

"I only have a few months to live," she admitted finally, "until I break all the curses. Then I will leave my flesh and be reunited with Father and all my brothers and sisters in Heaven. He figured it out. Until he realized I was going to die, he wasn't into the idea of us being more than friends and I was all right with that. But it's like he couldn't see it until he realized he wouldn't have me around forever…"

They all went silent.

"Six months? That's all?" Kagura asked, shocked.

"Give or take," Melody answered tiredly, "but I don't really want to think about that. It's too sad. I'd rather think about all the fun we're going to have at the reception. I've never been to a wedding before."

They all filed into Kana's room. The conversations started back up, but there was an uneasy air to them. Akito realized that it wasn't just him that was going to miss her terribly—there were many, many different lives that she was touching.

_I want to do something for her, but what?_

Ayame was in his height of glory over the next couple of weeks. He'd made enough that he could close up shop until the wedding was over. The first thing he did was come to the main house and take down everyone's measurements. Even little Tianshi was going to have a special outfit for that day.

"I've never done a wedding dress before," Ayame said as he measured Kana, "I'm very honored that you chose me to make yours."

"I've seen your other work," she admitted, "some of them are quite beautiful."

Hatori, understandably, didn't look all that impressed and Shigure suppressed a chuckle. It was no secret that Ayame loved women as much as Shigure did, but his manner was surprisingly professional while he was there. It could have been in part because Hatori was watching him like a hawk. After he had taken Kana's measurements, she thumbed through a few of the sketches and magazines that he'd brought. It was harder than she initially thought to make a decision; each dress was more beautiful than the last.

"This one," she said finally, holding up one of his sketches. The sleeves were long, but they were made of lace. The collar was a modest V-neck and outlined in a satiny material. Since Kana had a very slender figure, she liked that the skirt was a simple A-line without being overly poufy and voluminous.

"Excellent choice, my dear!"

He put away all the other sketches and things in a briefcase. They chose Tianshi's outfit next. One by one, the girls were all taken care of.

"And which of these would be your fairy-tale, Melody?" Ayame asked.

"You know better than I do," Melody told him, "I'll like whatever I get."

Shigure pulled Ayame aside and whispered into his ear. The two of them later found Ritsu and asked him a few questions. Melody volunteered to watch Tianshi for a little while since she was getting fussy. Ordinarily, she enjoyed being in a big crowd, but she was feeling a little overwhelmed today. Sitting down in the rocking chair, she cradled a sleepy Tianshi to her chest.

"Had enough?"

The cool, dark voice was like a soothing balm to her ears after hearing the baby wailing nonstop and all the laughter and giggles. Melody's eyes were closed, but there was no mistaking that voice.

"Just a little time out," she said, rocking mechanically, "for both of us. I told them…and I wish I hadn't. Now everybody's worried and sad and it's overwhelming. It gives me headaches in my soul…if that makes any sense."

She heard his yukata swishing around his legs as he settled into the couch opposite of her. Tianshi was falling asleep, her tiny body relaxing in Melody's arms.

"I hate people worrying about me," Melody finally confessed, "it makes me feel guilty for doing my job."

"I hate it too," Akito admitted, "I always have."

They sat in a companionable silence for a while. Right as he was about to ask her something, though, the door opened. Much to their relief, it was only Hatori, who never forced conversation on anyone.

"I take it this is the anti-social room for the moment?" he asked, retrieving his cigarettes. He would go outside in a moment, though—he didn't want Tianshi inhaling the smoke. Some "demons" never truly went away, he supposed.

"Yep," Melody answered.

"I won't tell if you won't. Kana's been trying to get me to stop, but I think it will be easier after the wedding."

Melody gave him a sympathetic grin.

"I'll watch her after I come back in," he offered, "you've been working hard. You ought to go hang out in the hot springs or something."

"On a day like this?" she asked, half-joking, "I'd boil alive."

"But you'd be relaxed."

"Sure…my muscles would melt into jelly! Maybe I'll just go spend some quality time with my poor beat-up violin instead. Same effect minus the heat."

Hatori went outside with his lighter and cigarettes. Melody carried Tianshi, now asleep, to her crib. As Tianshi had dark hair for the moment, it wasn't much of a stretch for Akito to let his mind wander. She made it look easy, like that really could have been their future.

He opened his mouth, but the words stuck in his throat. Why couldn't he make the leap? It should have been easy. He was used to being stubborn until he got his way, but for some reason, it wasn't working. It never had worked on her.

She settled back into the rocking chair. The silence had become uncomfortable now. He ventured closer to her.

"I'm not one to take advice from Tohru usually," he said, "but in this case, I think she's right. Both of us are alive right now…shouldn't we make the best of it?"

Melody looked up at him.

"What specifically are you talking about?"

"If you don't know, use your angel vision to find out."

She took his hands in hers. What he could not figure out how to express in words, he willed her to feel. All the tiny things he'd come to notice about her—the way her eyes grew greener when she was happy, the way she took in every little thing as if she were a child and everything was still new to her, the way she had this tendency to want to cuddle when she was sleeping near someone else—they all bubbled to the surface of his memory. He willed her to feel the loneliness he felt when she was gone for longer than he expected. He willed her to feel the peace he felt around her and the exasperation he'd felt when he realized he was getting feelings for her. He showed her the way his pulse would jump when she touched him and the wild uncertainty that came with realizing everything was changing whether he liked it or not.

"Oh my…" was her whisper.

The energy was radiating from him like a beacon. Once dark and small and mean, his aura had brightened considerably, glowing a hot, passionate red—it was the color of a beginning sunrise. She had always associated red with people who felt their emotions quite strongly and could be very bull-headed about things, so it seemed fitting. A cascade of other emotions, other memories, and changes of hearts made a bright, whirling kaleidoscope in her memory. He gave her a small smile.

"There, now. I have no secrets from you."

Their gazes locked and it felt as if that next second was taking an eternity. His palms were soaked with nervous sweat and he knew she could feel that, but it didn't matter. An odd euphoria, something he'd never felt before, was surging through his veins.

And Shigure just HAD to mess it up.

"Ah, there you are! Tohru was looking for you both."

He paused, seeing their hands linked.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Akito gave him a Look, but Melody gently disengaged her hands from his as Hatori re-entered the room.

"No. Of course not."

She seemed to be in a bit of a hurry to get away. Akito wiped his hands on his thighs as subtly as he could and sighed irritably. As he expected, the only thing Tohru wanted to ask was about whether or not her school friends could come. Akito dismissively said they could, but he realized that Melody had slipped out of the room.

"Looks like our little angel has a case of the nerves," Shigure pointed out.

"How would you know?" Akito asked irritably.

"Why else would she suddenly be hiding from you all the time? She doesn't hate you, that's for sure, and she isn't afraid of you. That's the only other reason," Shigure responded, "and now that she's seen that it's a possibility, she doesn't know how to deal with it."

"Girls are so weird."

"Don't I know it?" he asked, grinning.

Akito sighed.

"Don't give up, though. She's counting on you to wear her down."

"What?"

"She wants you to go after her. She wants to see that you're serious about this."

"What the Hell else can she want from me? I showed her my memories! Even the things I didn't want her to find out about," he complained.

"It's a start."

Akito smacked his forehead.

"I must be losing my mind. I'm listening to advice from a perverted dog."

"That's Mr. Perverted Dog to you," Shigure said sweetly, "and it hurts that I'm only trying to help you and you're yelling at me."

He gave Akito his big, dark eyes routine.

"Stop it, Shigure. Tohru may fall for that—even Kyo and Yuki may fall for it—but I'm not."

It was three days before the wedding when Kyo's turn for his curse to be broken came. A hard downpour of rain after weeks of no precipitation weakened his defenses and he was left feeling exhausted and lethargic. To make matters worse, that black and white bracelet had come up missing…

Without thinking, Melody jumped into the car after she'd answered Shigure's frantic call, as Kyo was transforming right then and there. She was in the driver's seat before Akito could say anything.

"Do you even know how to drive?" he asked.

"Trust me."

Trust me, she said, even as she burned rubber backing out of the gate. Trust me, she said, even though the car hydroplaned and they went spinning about three times. Sweating and nervous, Melody threw the thing into reverse and sent a wall of water up around them.

"Melody, maybe I should-" he started to say, but he was flattened back into his seat when she surged forward.

"I can do this, I swear!"

Akito didn't dare open his mouth, for he felt very carsick. By the time they reached the house, he could hardly walk. He had to tuck his head between his knees to steady himself.

"What happened?" Shigure asked.

"Never…" he said, fighting the urge to retch, "…let Melody drive again…"

Shigure chuckled and patted him on the back.

"Come on in. You look like you could use a drink."

Though it probably wasn't good for his liver, he didn't argue.

"Where has he gone?" Melody asked, willingly surrendering the keys to Akito's insistent hand.

"In the woods," Shigure said, "like last time. Tohru went after him, but he's been quite violent. Yuki also went after him—I only stayed to wait for both of you."

"We'll need to find him, then," Melody said, "let's go."

She hugged Shigure, causing him to poof into his dog form. Though Shigure wanted to point out that Kyo's corrupt form stunk so badly that he could easily follow the smell without his dog nose, he didn't argue. Time was of the essence. Akito shivered as the rain soaked through his clothes, but didn't say a word. He'd live, and he knew it. They followed Kyo's tracks through the mud and down to the little ravine where he'd been last time. It wasn't long before they heard growling and snarling. A very bloodied-up Yuki was trying to shield Tohru with his body while Kyo's clawed, monstrous paws swiped at them. Tohru was pleading with Kyo to stop, but her words fell on deaf ears.

"Kyo! Leave them alone!" Akito demanded. Kyo, still growling, dropped to all fours, but he turned to look at Kyo with his menacing, amethyst stare.

_This is your fault!_ His thought-voice shouted, hurting Akito's mind. He advanced on Akito, but Melody got between them.

"No, Kyo. You're not yourself. Please try to calm down and we can make you better!"

Akito placed a hand on Melody's shoulder.

"It is my fault," he said darkly, "if I hadn't treated him so badly, if I hadn't said all those horrible things, he wouldn't be so angry. I made him hate himself."

Kyo snarled, body coiled up like bunched springs. Shigure growled warningly at him. When Kyo finally leapt, Shigure intercepted him, tearing a deep gash into his neck. It wasn't a fatal wound by any stretch, but it certainly distracted him. In retaliation, Kyo flung Shigure into a tree where he yelped in pain and lay still. Tohru ran to his side while Yuki knelt in the mud, gasping.

"I'll be all right! Just fix him!" he yelled above the loud thunder and rain when Akito tried to help him up. Yuki was shivering violently, though from pain or cold, Akito could not tell. He stripped off his black shirt and tugged it over Yuki's head.

"Here," he said, "it'll be tight, but you'll be covered up at least!"

Yuki stuffed his arms into the sleeves, the look of gratitude on his face heart-breaking. Melody had distracted Kyo by climbing up a tree, but she wouldn't be safe there for long. Kyo's long claws tore gashes into the bark, his teeth inches away from her foot. Akito picked up a fist-sized rock and hurled it at the creature's back. Furious, Kyo came after him. Sprinting hard away from the tree, Akito felt his lungs start to seize up from never having done this before. It was hard to keep his footing in the slick mud and he soon felt his legs fly out from under him as he landed on his back with an oozy thud. His vision blurred for a moment and there appeared to be two Kyo-monsters looming over him. Just as Kyo's teeth were about to gut him, he felt himself being hauled backwards by Melody. Kyo ended up over-shooting his target and landing face-first in a puddle.

"Get him!" Melody said, leaping onto his back.

Akito was grateful to see the swirling darkness. When they emerged, the woods looked a lot like they did now, only with minor differences. Kyo was in his cat form inside a steel cage suspended over what looked like a pit of lava. Guarding him was a creature that seemed to be made of pure fire.

"Great…" Akito mumbled. He was quite sick of fire by now.

"One of us needs to distract him while the other one gets Kyo out," Melody explained, "do you think you can free him?"

"I can try," he answered. There was a tree that looked like he'd be able to climb it, although not very fast. If he could get far enough out on the branch without falling, he'd be able to pull Kyo's cage up by the chain. At least then he wouldn't be in danger of being roasted alive.

"Why fire?" he asked as they crouched in the bushes.

"Rage," Melody answered, "where Hatori's was ice because he didn't let himself feel anything, Kyo stays angry all the time. Anger destroys the soul like fire and leaves only ashes and shells behind. He's being consumed by his own anger and there won't be anything left if it keeps up."

Akito rolled his eyes. He was also sick of everything being so deep and philosophical.

"And how do I get that thing unlocked?"

"The same as always."

"Ugh…"

"Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

Melody darted one way and he darted the other. The fire-monster roared and swooped after her—it was like a giant firebird, a phoenix. Everything it touched lit and soon the forest appeared to be in danger of burning. Melody ran this way and that, hoping she could find some water to fight back with. There had to be a lake around here somewhere…

Akito started up the tree. Kyo looked over at him warily.

"Yeah, I know," he sighed, "I'm the last guy in the world you'd expect to help you, right?"

His muscles were screaming, but he forced himself to continue up the trunk of the tree. Judging by the way the flames were spreading, he didn't have a lot of time to waste. Breathing hard, he paused just for a moment before shimmying out on the branch. It groaned under his weight and he was glad he'd been the one to do this—the branch surely would not have held Melody. If he could just…

CRACK!

Akito gasped as he felt the branch give. It hadn't broken all the way yet, but it caused him to lurch forward. The column of heat rising up made him sweat and caused his skin to redden painfully. He hooked one finger through the chain-link and slowly eased backwards. The branch was cracking more as he moved and he was beginning to shake. The cage was heavier than he thought it would be. Breathing heavily, Akito fumbled with the link that was joined to the hook on top of the cage.

"You don't have to worry about it anymore," he panted, finally getting it loose, "your curse is going to be broken. You don't have to be angry anymore."

Kyo looked up at him with wary amber eyes, crouching in the corner of his cage.

"I'm sorry for causing this to happen," Akito said, trying to make his way back down the tree, "I shouldn't have left you out of everything. I shouldn't have said those things all those years ago. You came to me for help and I spat in your face…I don't expect you to forgive me, but I hope you'll let me make it up to you."

He slipped suddenly and slammed into the ground with a sickening impact. Kyo yowled as he was thrown against the wall of the cage. It slipped out of Akito's hands and bounced in the withered, dry grass. Akito sat up, a sharp pain throbbing between his shoulder blades. He knew he was bleeding; he could feel it. Kyo ventured as close as the steel bars would allow and placed a paw on Akito's arm.

"Where's the key?" he asked wearily.

Kyo pointed with his tail.

"You've got to be kidding…"

The key wasn't on the demon—it was in the fire at the edge of the lava pit. Glowing hotly, it was bright red. Akito sucked in a deep breath, hearing the shriek of the firebird. Melody had been forced to loop back in a circle and they would be here any minute.

_Father, please give me the strength to do this…_

Akito thrust his hand into the flames.

The pain was awful and instantaneous. He felt the skin on his palm scorch and blister as it came into contact with the glowing metal. His flesh sizzled and blackened as he withdrew the key. Biting his lip until blood flowed, he thrust the key into the lock. The smell of burnt skin made them both nauseous, but it couldn't be helped. The latch sprang open and Kyo was mercifully free. Akito dropped the key, gasping in pain. Tears trickled through his squeezed-shut eyelids as he held his burnt hand with his good one. The burn had gone beyond the skin—he felt exposed muscles and shuddered. He dropped to his knees, struggling to breathe. Kyo, stunned, placed his paws on Akito's knee. Though he couldn't do very much to help him at the moment, he rubbed his face against Akito's elbow.

Melody reached them, then. The firebird was right behind her. Kyo looked up, his slit-vertical pupils dilating. There was a flash of lightning overhead and a mercifully cold rain started falling from the heavens. The firebird let out a pained screech as it was destroyed. Columns of water dumped on it, causing it to die in hisses and steam. Melody smiled.

A dove landed next to the cat and the injured man. A wing touched a paw and Kyo poofed back into a human. Then, the dove flitted up to Akito's arm. Touching its beak to his badly burned hand, it exhaled and the flesh became smooth and healthy once more, though a scar remained on his palm.

"You did it," Melody said breathlessly to them both.

There was a flash of light and they were back in the woods.

"Oh, my goodness, I was so worried!" Tohru exclaimed, "Are you all right?"

"We are now," Melody told her, "and so is Kyo."

Kyo was no longer a strange monstrous cat-creature, but himself again. Smeared in mud with torn jeans, he looked like he'd been through a war. But he was smiling. He hugged Tohru tightly as if he never wanted to let her go.

"Let's get out of this rain," Shigure suggested, "and let the girls go on ahead of us, shall we?"

He was crouching in the bushes. Judging by the redness on Tohru's cheeks, he'd transformed some time ago. Melody smiled and they all shook off as much mud as they could before going inside. They took turns showering and Tohru lent Melody one of her robes while their clothes were being washed. Yuki lent Akito some of his clothes and Melody cleaned out the gashes on his back. While they'd bled a lot, they weren't deep, which was a blessing. For the first time since he could remember, Kyo actually enjoyed showering, as it didn't make him feel weak and dizzy. The warm water re-energized him and he actually felt hopeful again. Once they were all done cleaning up, treating injuries, and so forth, he made a point to find Akito in the kitchen.

"Thank you for that," he said to Akito, "I owe you one."

"Yes, you do," Akito said authoritatively, "and you can start with that."

He pointed at Tohru lugging the basket of muddy clothes into the laundry room.

"You still don't want her living here, do you?" Kyo asked glumly.

Akito's smile was smug.

"I saw your memories," he said, "and I think it's time you do something about it. You no longer have to fear the lack of acceptance that comes from your curse."

Kyo's shoulder slumped.

"Fine. I'll tell her."

Akito rose and walked into the laundry room. He kicked it closed behind him and Kyo's heart started beating in his ears.

"Oh! Akito! I didn't hear you come in," Tohru said, surprised.

"I want to ask you something."

"All right…"

"The cat has always been special to you, has he not?"

"Of course…we're really good friends," Tohru said, startled, "I can't imagine life without him."

He leaned in and whispered something in her ear. Tohru's eyes went wide. Akito chuckled and left the room. Kyo was dreading what would come next.

"Tohru?" he asked as she slowly dragged her way into the kitchen. Her curtain of brown hair hid her face, but he was sure she was crying by her posture.

"It's all right," she said breathlessly. Then, raising her head, she revealed that she was smiling.

"He told me to stay as long as I wanted," she said excitedly, "and he considers me a part of the family as much as you and Yuki and Shigure!"

Akito watched from the doorway of the kitchen, still smiling smugly. He walked over to the two of them and took Kyo's hand in one of his and Tohru's hand in the other.

"Oh, and Kyo? Don't screw this up, or I'll have to kill you."

He placed Tohru's hand in Kyo's and motioned for Melody to come.

"Oh, no you don't!" he said, holding the keys out of her reach, "I want to get home in one piece."


	25. Chapter 25

The day of the wedding dawned clear and pleasantly cool, promising good weather. Akito had never seen so many women walking around half-dressed or in various states of not-readiness in his life. Many of them were running back and forth trying to get help with this or that small task. Hatori had gone to stay with Shigure and the others at the small house, for it was supposedly "bad luck" to see the bride before the wedding. He somewhat envied the ex-dragon, as all these girls were making him nervous. They fussed over hair, they fussed over makeup, they fussed over clothes. Ugh…

In all that fray, Melody was nowhere to be seen.

He listened for her violin, but could not hear it. He watched for her blue-tinted hair, but he never saw it. The house was simply too full of people. Gritting his teeth, he gave up and retreated to his room. At least nobody was in there for the time being. Lunch was every-person-for-themselves, though Kyoko made a point of bringing a tray to him.

"Have you by any chance seen Melody?" Akito asked.

"Yes, actually."

"Well, where is she?"

Kyoko smiled.

"Ayame and Ritsu sort of kidnapped her this morning," she said with a secretive grin, "they said they'd give her back in time for the wedding."

"Oh."

He didn't even want to imagine what those two were going to do to her. Ayame had just been waiting for the chance to pounce on her again—he never got tired of dressing her up like a doll. It was a pity that Melody's innocence didn't allow her to see what Ayame's trade really was! As for Ritsu…well, he wasn't sure why he'd teamed up with Ayame. He hoped they wouldn't get too carried away. After he'd forced down lunch (his appetite was almost nonexistent, for in truth, he was as excited as everyone else for Kana and Hatori), he retrieved his kimono. This one, unlike many of the yukatas he had, was real silk. It was a royal blue with a darker blue trim around the collar and a matching waistband. He'd chosen to go the simpler route though Ayame had wanted to put him in very loud, vibrant colors. Loud and vibrant wasn't his thing when he was out in public. He had some simpler clothes to wear for the reception, as he didn't intend to stay long. He'd probably have had his fill of people by the day's end. The silk felt amazing against his skin and he forced away the unwelcome thought of how it would feel to hug Melody while she was swathed in this material.

_I can't get distracted like this now…_

Everyone else was assembling in the entrance. Kana had already been taken to the church. The bridesmaids were all going to ride together in one car and all the men in another. Tohru was the first one that he spotted.

_Impressive…_

Tohru's usual ribbons had been replaced with sparkly butterfly-shaped clips that looked like rubies. She wore a modest sleeveless dress with some kind of gauzy material that swished and floated at the slightest breath of air. There was a tiny amount of sparkle in the dress, just enough to draw attention without being gaudy. Her jewelry matched the clips and Ayame had lovingly crafted two bright red wings that had a translucent quality about them. They were bendable and moved easily with her. It seemed fitting that he had made her into a butterfly, for she was still her annoyingly sweet self, but she'd definitely grown a backbone. Kyo was admiring the view so much that he was completely ignoring Momiji, who was tugging on his sleeve. Akito smirked.

Isuzu was next. Ayame had made her costume a dark purple. Her dark hair had been braided with tiny little white flowers that popped dramatically against her inky locks and her dress was shorter in the front than in the back. A black stripe flowed down the back of the dress and ended at the hemline. She wore a choker-style necklace with a rearing horse pendant on it. Then, there was Kisa. Just as Akito suspected, she wore a tiger-print dress and a little headband with tiger ears on it. Since she was little, she could get away with some of the things that the others couldn't. Kagura appeared out of the crowd after her. Her dress was emerald green and she wore a pendant with a boar on it. The front of her dress was a paler green than the back part, suggesting the color change that a pig might have on its belly. While the hints were only slight for both her and Isuzu, Ayame had managed to make them extremely flattering ones.

Shigure appeared at Akito's elbow.

"Come here! You have to be in front since you're so short!"

He tugged him to the edge of the crowd at the front. Ritsu's cheeks were pink as the whispers started, but he seemed content. Akito was stunned: he had actually cut his hair! Now, it was the same length as Yuki's or his own, but it was a welcome change. He also wore a kimono the color of creamed coffee with a white band—it was a male kimono at that. Akito would have been impressed by that all by itself. But the best was yet to come. Ritsu and Ayame (wearing bright red as always) stepped aside to reveal Melody.

Akito could swear his heart stopped.

Melody's dress was a very pale blue with only hints of white in it (as Kana was the only one who should be wearing white today). It was made out of a soft, gauzy material that seemed almost woven more out of light than of fabric. There was a band around her high waist, flattering her figure excellently. The trim was a royal blue, suspiciously close to the color he was wearing. She had elbow-length gloves that were the same pale, pale blue as her dress and there was a white rose in her hair with bluish tips on the petals. The finishing touch, of course, were the white wings that were on her back. Ayame had been careful to hide all the bindings for the girls who had wings, so it looked like they were held on there by sheer will instead of wires, tapes, or adhesives. Her makeup was done very softly without any obvious color changes, though the white shimmery shadow around her eyes seemed to make the green more vibrant. Her expression was very serene as she told Tohru about this morning's "kidnapping".

"Ritsu, Ayame, you've really outdone yourselves!" Shigure announced. Everyone started talking at once. Melody's gaze dropped to the floor, a signal that she really didn't want as much attention as she was getting. Shigure placed his hand on Akito's back and nudged him forward until he grazed Melody's arm. She looked up at him, then, and the light from the window hit her full in the face. It looked as though she was glowing.

A slow smile crossed his lips. Words weren't really necessary, for his expression told her everything. Her smile mirrored his, her cheeks flushing under the makeup. There was a bright flash and Akito knew they'd been sniped once again by somebody's damn camera. He didn't care, though. No one was going to break the spell this time.

"Ready to watch two lives join?" she asked.

He slid his hand into hers. The sleeve of his kimono hid their joined hands for now, but that was all right. All the world would see tonight…

They sat side by side in the limo. Everyone assumed he was going to ride there anyway because he always did, though it was mostly full of girls. He felt an odd squirm in his stomach when he realized that their hands were still joined. Everyone was talking up a storm, though, and discussing the after-party, so they didn't really catch it. His thumb stroked the back of her small gloved hand, admiring the sleekness of the material as well as the beauty of the hands within the gloves. He was disappointed at how quickly they arrived at the church—it was as if the whole ride had gone by in a minute. Then, he had to let go of her hand, as the bridesmaids had to be with Kana. He actually sensed a bit of reluctance on Melody's part to do so, which stroked his ego massively. Something was different today…

The wedding ceremony went on for a while, but he couldn't really say he minded that much. For the first time, he actually felt like a participant instead of merely a spectator. Hatori's demeanor was calm, but there was a tiny tremor in his hands as he slipped the ring on Kana's finger. Cradled in her arms, she had chosen to carry Tianshi instead of a bouquet of flowers. Tianshi's dress was tinted pink instead of blue like Melody's and she had a band of tiny white flowers around her head. She slept through most of the ceremony and only started to fuss towards the end.

"I don't blame her," Shigure whispered, "I'm getting hungry, too."

This caused a little ripple of smiles.

After what seemed like an eternity, the priest pronounced them married and Hatori gave Kana a relatively chaste kiss. Various mischievous comments came from the spectators, but it had been a stretch for him to do that much—he wasn't big on PDA, even if it was his wedding day. Then, it was back into the cars and back to Sohma house. Melody got whisked away with the others and Akito was left in the garden by himself.

"She's popular today," Shigure remarked, "but you'll catch up with her eventually."

Akito mumbled something under his breath and went to go change out of his kimono. It was far too warm for this thing. He was happy to lay the heavy thing aside and change into cooler things. It was the usual stuff he was seen in; the others probably wouldn't mind. A lot of the men were changing into more casual outfits.

All the usual stuff was done; the wedding toasts and all that. Shigure was the one to do that, as Akito wasn't much of a public speaker. The cake was cut and Kana giggled when a little of the frosting got smeared into the corner of her mouth by accident. Then, everyone got to dig in for dinner.

The cooks had outdone themselves. Since he hadn't eaten much for breakfast or lunch, he got seconds and even thirds. There were some things there that he'd never tried before. Melody herself was packing it in, her ever-present coffee cup there instead of the fragile little crystal glasses that everyone else was using. She was sitting between Tohru and Isuzu. Isuzu must have made one of her snide little remarks because Melody's cheeks were red with laughter. Tohru was cracking up as well, so it must have been quite the joke. He noticed Hatori feeding Kana some kind of little dessert thing. The way he placed it in her mouth with such tenderness spoke volumes. Then, he saw why: Kana was giving the baby a bottle, so her hands were busy.

_He was made for this, _Akito thought.

When all the plates had been put away and the majority of the guests had been served their cake, the dancing started. As was custom, Hatori and Kana were first. Hatori seemed a little stiff, probably nervous about dancing in front of everyone else, but his motions soon glided out as he forgot about the rest of the crowd being there. The music playing was soft, instrumental. Akito didn't know a lot about classical music, but he knew Hatori liked it. That was probably why they'd picked it over some cheesy pop tune. It fit better anyway, as this was a more timeless love. After a while, the song ended and all the other guests got to join in. Melody was laughing as Shigure instructed her on how to dance. Why he didn't transform was a mystery…had all the remaining curses broken? It seemed unlikely, but something was keeping them from turning. Tohru's friend was dancing with Momiji. Hiro grudgingly let Kisa drag him out there, too, but he must have at least been enjoying it a little bit to let her. The sun was going down, bathing everyone in a soft golden light. The shadows softened to blues and purples and gradually the light turned orange, then red, then purple. One male guest after another kept snaring Melody for a dance. Akito, getting impatient, growled under his breath. She disappeared into the crowd again for the fourth or fifth time and he rested his chin in his hand, trying not to tip over the punch glass.

"Go ask her," Ayame hissed in his ear, sounding every bit like the snake he still was.

"I've tried," Akito muttered, "but the others won't let me get near her. Where did they all come from, anyway?!"

After that song was over, he'd decided he'd had enough and rose from the table where he'd been planted at all evening. The crowd thinned just enough for him to track the wayward angel down. It didn't escape his notice that Shigure and Ayame had taken over the stage where the band was. They were up to something…

He decided it wasn't important right now. Just as some other guy, yet again, someone he didn't know, reached her, Akito snaked one arm around hers and very gently steered her away. Giving him a smug "I got here first, pal" grin, he led her through the crowd.

"You want to dance with me?" Melody asked, slightly disbelieving. She didn't figure Akito for a dancer. In fact, she was surprised he'd stuck the reception out this long. By watching him out of the corner of her eye, she'd noticed that he was getting increasingly annoyed.

"No, I'm dragging you out here so we can stand in the middle of the crowd and do nothing," he retorted.

"I'd like to dedicate this song to all you lovely young couples out there," Shigure said warmly, "and I hope there will be more weddings soon. I do enjoy them so!"

The song was a soft but bouncy tune, one he'd heard Melody play before.

"Show me how to do this so I don't look like an idiot," he whispered in her ear. She smiled and placed his hands on her waist and her hands on his shoulders.

_I think I finally understand the thing about butterflies being in your stomach…but it feels like they're going to war in there!_

He gulped audibly, as people were starting to look. Putting on his best "I don't care what you think" smirk, he slowly swayed in time with the music with Melody. She looked like she was relieved that he'd found her, but also pleasantly surprised.

"_I'd like to sail the lands afar, _

_Out on a boat that's built for two…_

_Beneath the canopy of stars, _

_That would be just like a dream come true_

_Just to be with you…"_

He hated to admit it, but Shigure was actually quite gifted. It was probably that soft singing voice that had gotten him out of a great deal of trouble with his editor. Speaking of that…he did a double take and realized that Ritsu was dancing with her. Wow…

"_Oh Oh Oh ohohhhh when we're together,_

_Oh, Oh, Oh, Ohohhh, feels like forever_

_Worries seem to fade away, _

_they become as distant memories_

_When We're together!"_

Now that they'd done a complete circle, he was able to see Kyo and Tohru. Kyo looked a little out of his element as well, but Tohru's eyes were closed as she leaned against his shoulder. Akito felt very smug—he was glad he'd intervened. The dumb cat would never have said anything on his own. And Tohru…well, she was just too much of a doormat.

"_I'd like a castle on a hill, _

_Where you and I could spend the day…_

_And I'd love to go where time stands still,_

_And all that doesn't matter fades away_

_You are here with me…"_

Now, Hatsuharu and Isuzu came into view. Isuzu was very, very tense and Hatsuharu seemed to be trying to reassure her of something. Akito, unfortunately, knew what it was. Yet another mistake he'd have to fix…

Then, he saw something he did not expect: Kagura and Yuki together. They weren't dancing; they were just hanging out at one of the tables. Yuki appeared to be having the time of his life just sitting there talking. He was more comfortable with her than he'd ever seemed to be around other girls, even Tohru. Tonight was just one surprise after another, apparently.

"_Oh Oh Oh ohohhhh, when we're together,_

_Oh, Oh, Oh, Ohohhh, feels like forever_

_Worries seem to fade away, _

_they become as distant memories_

_When We're together"_

Melody's cheek came to rest against his. They were the exact same height, so there was no bending required on either of their parts. Something changed then. She'd hugged him before, but he actually felt her embracing him. Not just with her arms, but with her heart as well. It was an invisible change, but something he felt very strongly. Her breath was soft against his ear and he felt the blood rushing to her face, as though it were eager to be close to him. He adjusted his grip on her so that they'd both be more comfortable. The material of her dress and the feathers on the wings were soft against his wrists and hands and he suddenly felt that there was no place he'd rather be than right here, right now.

"Aren't they cute?" Kana whispered in Hatori's ear. He couldn't help but nod in agreement.

"He looks happy," he answered.

"So does she."

"_And I would love to dance with you under the big blue sky,_

_we hold the wonder of the moment as the moment passes by_

_When we're together…"_

The sky spread out over them, seeming to go on forever. It was frosted with stars and with a crescent-moon that, oddly enough, looked like a smile.

_Father, help me, I love him so much…_Melody's heart ached. When she dared glance at his face, she saw a smile that she'd never seen before. This kind of smile was…she had no words for it. There was so much hope there, and admiration. And…dare she think it? Love…

And that smile was getting closer…

His breath, still sweet from the punch and the cake, grazed her nose and mouth. Her heart started to thunder. For one terrible and glorious moment, it was as if time itself had stopped. Then, somebody bumped into him from behind, sending his lips crashing into hers.

Melody almost fainted.

He felt her go rigid in his arms and turned his head so that he could give her a little bit of space, but it was too late. It was as if a lightning bolt had struck him—he felt the energy surging through her palms and down through his body until it spread out all over. Suddenly, though the garden was dimly lit, he could see everything as brightly as day. Melody's aura flared outward as if it were a towering inferno of blue flames. Her breath had caught in her lungs. Then, he felt her legs turn to jelly and she had to hold onto him for support. Even through his shirt and her dress, he could feel her heart thundering. His own seemed to be trying to outpace it.

What now? Should he apologize? Even if it made him a big fat liar because he could never, ever be sorry? Should he say anything at all? The question was never answered. He impulsively led her away from the crowd. He'd be damned if another one of those dumb guys touched her. Without thinking, he steered her towards a part of the gardens that was deserted. This place had a bunch of hedges around it, so it was closed off from everywhere else. They'd be alone here. The music was fainter here and the merry splashing of a nearby fountain almost drowned it out.

"What are you doing?" she asked quietly.

"Shut up," he said huskily. Taking her face in both hands, he guided her towards him. This time, there were no spectators, no one to mess it up. Tonight, they weren't "god" and "angel". They were man and woman experiencing true love for the first time. He buried his lips in hers and felt her freeze up once again. But this time, she melted. His kisses were rough, as she was the first girl he'd ever kissed in his entire life. She didn't truly seem to mind, though, as her arms twined around his neck like thick vines. She was as clumsy and inexperienced as he was, which kept the nerves at bay. The whole world seemed to suddenly be spinning faster under him, for he was quite dizzy and quite breathless, but he didn't want to stop.

Suddenly, he was vaguely aware of his feet actually leaving the ground. First, only the toes of his dress shoes scraped the stone path, then there was nothing. He was completely weightless, being held in her arms. It only added to the excitement—he was flying! Well, floating, anyway…

They had to come up for air at some point. When they finally broke the kiss, he felt them touch gently back on the earth. He opened his eyes to see a literal glow coming off of Melody for a split second—it was throwing light on the water, the leaves, the path, everything. Then, it died as quickly as it had started. She stared at him with those big, wide, dark green eyes and wobbled over to the base of the fountain and promptly sat down. She was trembling so much that he couldn't help but smile as he joined her. If he could do that to her now without knowing anything about kisses, imagine what would happen if he got better at them….

A/N: The song is called "When We're Together" by Mark Harris. Hope you all enjoyed! And Happy Birthday to my Sweetness! I love you.


	26. Chapter 26

The rest of the details of that night passed into obscurity. After having his first kiss, Akito and Melody had stayed out in the garden for a while. Contented to be away from the crowd, yet still sort of hear the music, he danced with her some more—or at least he started to. Eventually, it just ended up being them holding each other and sort of swaying back and forth to the music. Neither of them spoke a word to each other. Neither one of them wanted to break the spell. For the first time in their lives, both of them felt truly alive. After it started getting obscenely late and people came looking for them, they reluctantly made their way back to the house. A few of the others noticed their joined hands, but not all of them made the connection. Shigure, of course, understood. Tohru seemed to know as well. Ayame knew for sure because he kept elbowing Hatori and Shigure and making smug grins. Tomorrow, they would be leaving on their honeymoon and Melody would take over temporarily, as they'd only be gone a few days. She'd call him if there was an emergency.

After that, he felt as if he were gliding. He hardly felt the impact of his feet touching the floor at all. It was like being drugged only there was none of the heaviness in his limbs. This was something else entirely…

He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw someone sitting on his bed.

"Don't be alarmed," a familiar voice said, "it's only me."

Akito ventured closer. It was hard to see in the dark, but it somehow didn't occur to him to simply flip the light switch.

"Father?" he asked, stunned.

"Among other things," Father answered, patting the bed. Feeling a little nervous, Akito sat down beside him.

"Don't be frightened, Akito. You have nothing to fear from me."

"Well….um…don't take this the wrong way, but it's one thing to meet your…er…girlfriend's father, but I never imagined I'd be talking to…"

He drew in a deep breath and wished he could stop babbling and stuttering. This wasn't like him at all.

"God," he finished finally, "it's very strange."

Father laughed.

"Yes, I suppose for a mortal, it is. People dream of the day they can finally see me and they all have this excitement mixed with terror. I never seem to be what they expect. But that's all right—what is life without a little mystery?"

Akito gulped.

"Yeah, I suppose," he mumbled, "listen…are you here because of what happened earlier?"

Father turned his gentle gaze on Akito.

"What specifically?" he asked, "Because I do love a good wedding as much as the next person."

"The kiss. Are you upset with me because I did it?"

Father's hand gently settled on Akito's. It surprised Akito that it was so small…imagining these hands fashioning planets and worlds and universes…it was hard to believe that they were the same.

"What makes you think I'm upset with you?"

"Well, you didn't really appear to me unless you were trying to either talk me into something or talk me out of it."

Father nodded.

"All right," he said, "I'll get to the point. She really does love you, you know. And you mustn't blame her shyness on anything outside. I know you've been feeling some insecurities about your porphyria and your curse lately and so forth, but you shouldn't. She didn't want to act on her feelings until she was sure I was all right with it."

Akito nodded. It was a very Melody-ish thing to do.

"And are you?" he asked bluntly.

"I never pushed the two of you together directly," Father said, "if that's what you're asking. Rather, I knew the potential was there and I let you both make your own decision about it. I do want to warn you, though, that if you choose this kind of love that it's going to be the harder path."

"Of course," Akito said bitterly, "I only have a few months with her. I know that. I know that she's giving up her life so that I don't have to give up mine. And I tried talking her out of it and she wouldn't listen. She insists it's her job."

"It is her job," Father answered, "but death is not a forever thing. You know that, right? Death is merely a comma, a brief pause before going on to the next word. It is neither a period or an exclamation point. At only one point in history was it even a question mark."

"So, she dies. Then what happens?"

Father shook his head.

"Spoilers," he said smugly, mimicking someone off of Melody's favorite TV show.

"I know she'll be glad to be out of her skin," Akito admitted, "but I'm going to miss her. She's the only real friend I've ever had. And now…"

"And now you're in love," Father said, "I know. And it's healed some pretty nasty wounds. We're only half the way there now. Another matter I wanted to discuss is what's coming up. You're going to face many more challenges before this is over. If you can hold on and stay strong through those, the 'Sohma curse' will be a thing of the past forever. But you're going to be very, very sorely tempted. You can't let your guard down or allow yourself to be deceived. If you do, it's going to be worse. I need you to trust me even if these demons—or even other people—make you angry with me. They will try to make you hate me and curse my name. Don't let them. For Melody's sake, and yours, and everyone else's, don't believe their lies. They have no real power—they can only test you."

Akito didn't want to think about that.

"You can do it, I know you can. Under all that perceived frailty, you are one of the strongest souls I've created. Don't get discouraged."

He hugged Akito before dissolving into thin air. Akito looked down at his bed and still saw the butt-print in the sheet where he'd been sitting. He would definitely have a story to tell his new girlfriend tomorrow.

He slid between the sheets feeling like a completely new person. He didn't want to think of what would happen these next few months. There were all sorts of things he wanted to try now that he had "joined the real world". The first thing he was going to do was get Melody a real kimono. The clothes that she wore were all right, but he wanted to see what she'd look like in a furisode. It was curiosity more than anything else; probably a deep royal blue or a mint green would be very pretty on her. And of course, he would pick a cherry blossom for her and tuck it behind her ear. And then her cheeks would turn all pink…

More than anything else, Akito was comforted to sleep that night by the sheer thought of not being alone. Even if it would only be for a short time, there would always be someone there with him. He found himself wondering what Akira would think—would he be proud that he was shedding his cruelty layer by layer like a rosebud, one petal at a time?

_I think I understand what she meant,_ he thought sleepily, _about a feeling being so big that it doesn't seem like your skin will contain it._

Melody carefully removed her wings and her dress and hung them up in the closet. They were so beautiful and so painstakingly made that she didn't want to risk marring them. Humming softly to herself, she washed all the makeup off her face and changed into her favorite aqua-blue nightgown. Tonight had been more special than anything she'd ever experienced on Earth, but the best was yet to come. Father had visited her just a short time ago and she was no longer afraid. Akito was no longer just her charge, but so much more than that. They were best friends and now something brand new and even more beautiful was unfolding between them. She had to confess to herself that she no longer thought kisses were silly. She'd once seen a couple kissing a couple of days after arriving and had been torn between laughing and getting grossed out. What was it about putting two mouths together that was such a big deal? And now, she'd figured it out. It had to be the right person. Kissing wasn't really something you did with your mouth as much as your heart.

She traced her lips with her fingers. She hadn't expected Akito's lips to be so warm and so soft. She'd assumed that everything about him—including his attitude—would always be hard, angular, and pointy to a certain extent. She'd been blessedly wrong about that. And something about the way he'd embraced her had made even his hard, undernourished body soften in her arms. She remembered that small smile he'd given her, letting the wall come crumbling down tonight where she could see his naked heart. Nudity of the body, Father had said, was sacred. Nudity of the soul was even more sacred.

Something very surprising had happened today. At Ayame's, she'd felt an awful pain in her lower belly. Upon closer investigation, she'd found a red stain on her underthings. Surprised and somewhat terrified, she'd scrubbed it away before anyone could find out and realized that she had become that much more human. After discreetly requesting some aspirin and some "girl-trouble" supplies from Ayame's friend (the one who worked in the store), everything else had gone smoothly that day.

_If I can do that,_ Melody remembered, _it means my body is behaving more like a human woman's does. And that means…_

She remembered the feel of Tianshi in her arms. Six months wasn't nearly enough time to even think about babies, but she couldn't help herself. In no time at all, she'd imagined them having her curly dark hair and Akito's stunning dark blue eyes. If only…

Being human was harder than she'd ever imagined. If she wasn't so tired, she'd go sneak one of the medical books out of Hatori's office and get a closer look at what was happening. Or, she'd just look it up on the computer. Right now, though, she was exhausted. She hoped that no one found out about this, least of all the demons, for they would probably try to take advantage of the situation even more so. For now, she just wanted to curl up and sleep. Today had been a very big day for her.

The next morning, nobody was in much of a hurry to do anything. They all crowded at the door to see Hatori and Kana out the gate for their vacation. Little Tianshi was asleep in her car seat, as neither of the adults wanted to part with her. They were both grinning when they saw Akito and Melody's joined hands.

"Has either of them actually said a word to each other today?" Kyo wondered out loud.

"Not yet," Isuzu answered with a smirk. She and Kagura shared mischievous grins that basically said that Melody had her work cut out for her. Once the newlyweds were gone, everyone streamed into the dining room for breakfast.

"Not feeling well?" Akito wondered, seeing Melody try to discretely dump some aspirin into her hand.

"Just a little headache," she answered. It was true—she did have a headache. She decided to leave off the cramps. Just by hearing other girls talk, men tended to get a little squeamish about it. She was glad she'd worn a skirt that was looser around the middle.

After breakfast, they went to the clinic together. Melody still had to keep tabs on him while Hatori was away so that he wouldn't worry. They had a laugh about his heartbeat going so fast around her.

"Maybe we should wait a few minutes to write that one down," Melody chuckled. Akito was very amused: she'd borrowed one of Hatori's white coats and it was too big on her. She'd had to roll the sleeves up and the hem of it almost came to her ankles. It was like watching a little girl try on her father's clothes.

"I should have one made for you," Akito laughed, watching her try to tuck the sleeves back up when the roll came undone.

"In the meantime, I wonder if anyone has some pins," Melody answered. She finally got it situated and retrieved the clipboard again. Everything had checked out normal so far—even his pulse once he'd had a minute to sit quietly. He had no complaints with pain or sickness—in fact, he had some healthy color on his cheeks for a change.

"Clinic hours are from eight to five," she said, writing the last number down, "but I'm sure I can handle it. Kyoko said she'd bring me something to eat at lunchtime and nobody minds if I play my radio in here."

He was torn between not wanting to leave her, but he certainly didn't want to spend all day in here.

"I will see you at five, then," he said, kissing her on the cheek, "meet me by the gate."

"All right," she said warmly. She watched him stride out the door and smiled. If they were to meet by the gate, that could only mean they were going somewhere. Her stomach flip-flopped with excitement. A date! A real date!

She placed her laptop on a table at the back of the room. She wanted all the silly, cheesy, hopelessly romantic songs she'd stored on there. Before, she hadn't really known what the songs had meant, she'd just liked the way they sounded. Now, she could understand what the writers really meant.

"I feel delirious,

Come let's get out of here,

We're so anonymous,

But it's all coming clear,

We're headed for the sky!

And we'll get lost in it cause

All I want, all I want, all I want

Is everything!"

She danced with the mop while she cleaned the floors and put the new sheets on the beds. Even the chores that she really hated, like cleaning the bathroom, went faster with the music. She panned down the list of appointments and medicines that would need to be refilled. Going into the store-room, she made a note of what they had and what they were running low on. Hatori had already signed for all the ones that were being refilled so all she had to do was stick around for the delivery. The guy came around ten to bring in the new supplies. She thanked him and began to look through the boxes. The first thing she came across were IV bags. Carefully putting them away, she handled them as if they were made of glass. They were Akito's enzymes for when he had porphyria attacks. These were followed by his pain meds and his glucose solutions. She didn't want any of them to burst. It was like she held his life in the palms of her hands.

The rest were common antibiotics, antiseptics, bandages, pain relievers, and so forth. It was another hour before she'd finished putting all that away and she was glad to take a little break. Besides, it was time for her first appointment on her own.

"Did you have a good time yesterday at the wedding, Isuzu?" she asked as Isuzu slumped into one of the chairs.

"Yeah. Even when Haru spilled his punch on me," she said with a small smile.

"What can I help you with?" Melody asked.

"Oh, it's that usual crap that comes up. The thing where my stomach's trying to digest itself. It wasn't so bad last night, but it got worse this morning."

"I'm sorry to hear that. I'll grab something for when you leave right quick and then we'll chase it out."

Melody retrieved the very potent prescription antacids. Hatori had said that she would need stronger ones soon the way things were going.

"Was it just a random attack or did something trigger it?" Melody asked.

"Just eating in general," Isuzu said with a dismissive shrug, "I usually live on crackers."

"Anything stressful happen?"

She could tell by the black scowl on her face that she'd touched a nerve.

"You don't have to talk about it if you don't want to," Melody told her. She moved to place her hand over Isuzu's narrow belly, but Isuzu's hand stopped her, wrapping around her wrist.

"My parents were there last night," she said, meeting Melody's gaze, "and all they could talk about was what a loser Haru is. And what a burden I am to them even though I've been living with Kagura for years now."

"I'm really sorry," Melody said sympathetically.

"Oh, it gets better. They said that right in front of his face."

She released Melody's hand. Melody was very careful not to put any pressure on her belly, as she knew it was hurting.

"I'm going to marry him someday," Isuzu announced with a great deal of conviction, "we'll see who's the loser then!"

Melody grinned.

"There you go!"

Isuzu embraced the light, song, and colors that flowed through her as the pain was replaced with a pleasant cooling sensation. She felt the weakness and nausea leave her as Melody took her hands away.

"I have a little confession to make," Isuzu said as Melody mixed up some liquid medicine for her, "I couldn't stand you when I first met you. You were worse than Tohru. But I heard how you never took his crap, not really. Then I figured if you could do all the stuff that you do, what's stopping me?"

Melody added a flavoring syrup to make the antacid mix taste better.

"I appreciate that," she said gratefully, "and I'm glad I can help."

Isuzu took the cup from her and downed the contents of the thick, chalky-textured fluid.

"I'm curious," she said, handing the cup back, "when's my turn?"

"Your turn for what?"

"You know…when do I stop turning into a horse everytime I have a bad day?"

"Soon," Melody replied, "I'm not sure exactly when—we'll know when something specific changes. I'm not allowed to say."

"You can't just do it now?"

"No. There's a time and a place for everything. Father makes me stronger—Akito, too. If I tried to do it now, it would put too much strain on my flesh. It could even kill it."

"Oh…"

Melody busied herself with washing out the cup.

"Is that why Akito's going last?"

The cup clattered into the sink.

"What do you mean?"

"We know it's going to kill you. Is that why you're taking Akito's out last?"

"Yes," she said quietly, "I'm not going to be strong enough in this form. The flesh has to go before I'm at full power."

"It's going to kill him."

"No. It won't. He'll be sad for a while, but it will get better. And it's not like before—he'll have all of you to help this time."

She explained the instructions of the pills to Isuzu, eager to get off the subject. Her next visitor was Ritsu.

"How are the new meds working out?" Melody asked.

He was smiling.

"I don't need them. I haven't taken a single one since the day you freed me," he said. Melody's eyes were wide: he wasn't talking in that high-pitched screechy voice that he usually did.

"Well, if you're feeling better, than that's all that matters. Did you have a good time at the wedding?"

"I did," Ritsu responded, "I got to see all the work I did since Akito allowed me to help with the wedding plans. And I never knew I'd enjoy dancing so much!"

"I noticed you spent a lot of time with Mitsuru," Melody pointed out, taking all of his vital signs. She noticed that he had a slight weight increase, but that was good for him. Usually, he didn't eat enough due to the anxiety.

"Yes…about that…"

His cheeks reddened as he produced a very wrinkled napkin from his pocket. In a delicate woman's hand were written Mitsuru's full name and her phone number.

"All right! Congratulations!" Melody hugged him, causing him to go even redder.

"I haven't yet decided if I want to…you know…see her. I wanted to get to know her a little bit better," Ritsu confessed.

"There's nothing wrong with that," Melody said, giving his shoulder a squeeze, "Akito and I started out as friends first."

Ritsu stared.

"So, it's true then?"

"Yeah," Melody admitted shyly, "I guess weddings are good for reminding us that we don't all have to be alone down here."

It was a relief to sit down at last and eat her lunch. After Ritsu and Isuzu's checkups, she had to deal with a screaming baby with an ear infection. She could hear her coming a very long way down the hall and eagerly sent out her healing energies. Though it made her a little tired, she managed to get the little girl calmed down—along with her hysterical mother—and sent them home with some ear drops and liquid antibiotics.

"Whew…" she sighed, her synesthesia still going crazy, "I'm glad that's over!"

The downside to having synesthesia was that every time there was a noise she didn't like, it caused her physical pain. It would begin as an earache, but the pain would literally flow down her spine. Her field of vision had been flashing bright orange, white, red, hot pink, and all manner of very invasive colors. The soft piano music that was playing soothed it, but it would usually take a while for the pain to completely stop.

There was a middle-aged woman next who spent a good hour complaining. It was clear that her health complaints (headaches, stomachaches, backaches, and so forth) were clearly coming from the fact that she was so unhappy. Melody listened patiently, healed her, and gave her the mild pain relievers that Hatori had left for her though she wasn't sure she should. An old man who had a case of gout appeared and he didn't seem willing to follow instructions. Melody told him that he needed to stay off of his affected foot. She took the inflammation away, but she knew he'd need to change his lifestyle if he wanted to keep well permanently.

The last case of the day was a little boy who'd gotten into his dad's private stash of alcohol. His mother was terrified, of course, but she needn't have worried. Melody had the misfortune of being thrown up on. Sighing, she placed her hands over his head and his stomach and drew the poison out. Feeling much better, the young boy giggled and clapped his hands together.

"Glad one of us is better," Melody mumbled, feeling exhausted and sick herself. She'd have to wash Hatori's coat for sure, along with her other clothes.

"Could you tell Akito it's going to be a few minutes? There was a little mishap back there," Melody sighed to Kyoko.

"I'll tell him," she said sympathetically.

She scrubbed out her clothes in the bathtub before laying them out to dry and getting washed up herself. Then, she paused. What exactly did people do on first dates? She wondered where he was taking her. Deciding on a black skirt and a red sleeveless top, she smoothed her hair down and hurried out the door. Now that she didn't smell vomit, she was actually starting to get hungry again. It had been a long day, but it had been worth it.

Akito was already by the car when she found him. He hadn't yet seen her, so she took this opportunity to admire the scene. The sun had bathed him in a soft golden color and the wind was ruffling his dark hair. He was leaning against the side of the car, his pose suggesting contentment. Despite him not wanting to be sketched, she contemplated doing it anyway. She smiled and made her presence known.

"Rough day?" he asked, referencing the "mishap" that Kyoko had mentioned.

"Just a little bit," she answered, "I can say I've got a new respect for what Hatori does. Most of what I did was changed dressings and did office work before."

He opened the door for her and she slid in.

"I've hardly ever been out of the house," he confessed, "so this city is as new to me as it is to you. So don't get annoyed if I get lost, got it?"

"I won't," Melody said mischievously, "I'll just drive."

"No, you won't. Not after last time."

She giggled, seeing the look of dread on his face.

"I'm going to have to learn eventually," she reminded him.

"But not from me."

They pulled out of the gate. For some odd reason, it felt like leaving prison. Akito had never had an excuse to take anyone into town before and he'd never seen a reason to go when everything was brought to him instead. He had to be more careful because there were many more people on the road here, but he got used to it quickly. That was becoming the story of his life: more people everywhere. Despite the fact that it was really jarring after a lifetime of loneliness, he was learning to appreciate it. Melody sang along with the radio, drumming her hands against the console.

"You never get tired of singing, do you?" he asked.

"Nope," she admitted honestly, "I consider it a very good day if I go to bed with a raw throat."

"Then you're going to love where we're going."

His smile was smug.


	27. Chapter 27

There were so many people at the restaurant that Akito felt himself start to sweat. As he took Melody's hand, he reminded himself that there was nothing to be anxious about. They were just another couple and the other customers weren't going to bother him. As he'd never really been exposed to big crowds before Melody had shown up, he tended to feel very claustrophobic. Melody didn't seem to mind at all, though.

"I've been to Italy before," she told him, "but I never got a chance to try any of the food. I didn't have a stomach!"

He tried to picture Melody as a spirit rather than a human and could imagine her trying to eat only to have the food falling right through her and chuckled.

"I only got to come here once before," he told her, "it was the first time I had to stay in the hospital. Hatori brought me here on the way home. I've never forgotten it."

She smiled warmly.

"And," he added, "they have a whole menu just for their coffee."

Melody made a noise somewhere between a squeal and a laugh. It was like watching a little girl in a candy store. While they were waiting for a table, she was eyeing the display case full of tempting desserts.

"Ti-ram-a-su," she said, sounding out the word on the label, "I've never heard of it, but it looks good."

Akito wanted to laugh, as tiramisu had coffee in it. The girl was like a bloodhound when it came to caffeine. The waiter took them to their table and brought a basket of big, fluffy bread rolls. Akito sincerely hoped that the heaviness of the food was going to be enough to counteract that espresso she asked for.

"Wow…" she said, looking through all the different flavoring syrups and creamers.

"The owner of this place has just as much of a coffee addiction as you do," Akito informed her, "and music, too."

After she'd described some elaborate concoction to the waiter, which he somehow remembered with ease, he went off to get their drinks. Akito had asked for a simple iced tea.

"How's it going? I've never seen you two here before," a voice said. They looked up to find a dark-haired woman in a black dress standing over them. She wore a black newsboy cap the same style as Melody's. Akito couldn't help but stare—if this woman had been but a few years younger, she and Melody could pass for twins.

"You look just like me!" Melody exclaimed.

"Pretty close," the woman affirmed, "I wanted to see if what David said was true. I'm the owner of this restaurant, Dawn Lehr. I heard we had some special guests coming in tonight. My husband Alex was the one who took your reservation down. Akito and Melody, am I right?"

He nodded.

"And the other 'arrangement' I made?" he asked.

"All taken care of," she answered, "we'll be starting the set in just a little bit. The other thing will happen after you two have had a chance to eat."

She took her hat off and retrieved a waitress's notebook and a pen.

"Have you two decided already or would you like some more time?"

"More time, please," Akito said politely.

"All right. See this little cup on the table here?"

The object she was pointing at looked every bit like an ordinary plastic coffee cup.

"When you're ready to order your food or if you want something in general, all you have to do is twist the bottom and put it at the end of the table like this."

She twisted the bottom of the cup and it lit. Melody giggled.

"We get pretty busy sometimes, so it gets the attention of our servers much faster," Dawn explained, "and that way, no one has to wait for a refill or dessert or their check."

He had to admit that it was a pretty clever idea.

"We just pulled a fresh batch of lasagna out of the oven, too, if you're open for suggestions."

A shrill whistle came from the other side of the restaurant. A man with chocolate-colored hair and blue-green eyes motioned to the stage with a big smile.

"Oh, I guess it's time for us to get started, then," Dawn said, "David will be back to take your orders in just a moment. I hope you enjoy the set! By the way, see that darling man over there? That's my Sweetness. We've been blessed with three years together."

There was obvious pride in her voice as she said it. It was hard to tell what glinted more brightly in the dim light: the ring on her finger or her eyes. She joined him across the room. Melody grinned.

"Want to know a little secret?" she asked Akito. Taking his hand and leaning in, she whispered, "I got them together."

"You know them?" Akito asked, stunned.

"Yes. Father sent me to get them together," Melody explained, "they met in America in college. After they got their degrees, they got married and then started a chain of coffee houses. The name translates to 'Cup of Heaven'—would you believe it started out as a painting hanging on the kitchen wall of her tiny little apartment?"

Akito couldn't help but laugh incredulously.

"It only took them three years to get an international chain going? You're better than I thought."

Melody grinned.

"Nah…that was Father's doing. I only got them together. They and Father did the rest."

"You seem to be very good at matchmaking."

"It's only because I have an outside perspective," she answered, "…or at least, I did."

"What do you mean 'did'?"

"Well, being human kind of narrows it," she admitted, "you're limited to things that you can touch, see, hear. Sometimes we go on feelings, but not as much. And time…I can't tell you how hard it is to get used to seeing time go linear…it seems strange now that I used to exist outside of time itself."

"I can't even imagine that," he confessed.

"It was different," she said, "imagine this: you have no need to really rest, no need to eat, no need to relieve yourself, and no illness. You're weightless, lighter than air. You can walk through walls and floors and be anywhere in the world at the snap of a finger. You can still sense hot and cold, but they're only minor details and you can stick your hand in fire without being burned at all. You're aware of literally every second that passes. Father can show you any moment in history at all, even send you there to learn more about the people you're trying to help. You can't interfere unless He tells you to, but you can watch. And Father…well…He looks very different when there's no flesh to burn away. You can see Him unhindered and wonder how it's possible to forget He's everywhere."

"And that's…my future?" he asked.

"Humans aren't angels, but we exist in the same realm when you shed your flesh," Melody explained, "so…you've got a very good chance now of seeing it. These past weeks have changed you."

They both took Dawn's suggestion and ordered lasagna. Melody finished off an entire basket of rolls on her own.

"There are some things down here that I've enjoyed despite the setbacks," she admitted, "and food is one of them!"

The lasagna was very rich and very heavy, something he wasn't used to, but it was very different in a good way.

"If you never got sick or tired, though, why would you want to be down here?" he asked, "Even if the food is good."

"Well," she said, looking a little bit guilty, "there are many other things that my kind take for granted because we've never had it. As powerful as we are, Father goes to such great lengths to have relationships with all of you. And though we have 'hearts' in the spiritual sense, we don't have them physically. Remember how your heart started thundering when you kissed me? It's such a small thing, but I'm one of the few of my kind that has experienced it. We have no euphoria for kisses and for love, not the way you all do. You have to have bodies and brains and lots of organs to feel something like that. We don't really even have such concepts as male and female because we're not biological."

That was a new one.

"So…when you…go back, you won't be a girl anymore?" he ventured bravely.

"Well…no. Not in the traditional sense. I am a guardian, so I appear to humans quite a bit," Melody confessed, "and Father always chooses to make me a woman—not that I mind at all. I suppose my personality makes me more suited to be a female on earth."

A lilting tune came from the stage. Dawn was playing the guitar and Alex was singing, his soft voice entrancing a lot of the young girls there. Dawn was grinning, mainly because she was glad they knew a good thing when they saw it.

"I just realized," he said slowly, "I really don't know you as well as I thought I did."

There was a tinge of guilt in his voice.

"Don't worry about it," she said, taking his hands in hers, "that's what these date things are for, right? Isn't that what purpose they serve for humans?"

"You're asking the wrong man," he admitted, "I'm as new to this as you are."

"Then we'll learn together."

Dinner finished, he offered his hand to her and they moved onto the dance floor. Though it was a bit uncomfortable with their extremely full bellies at first, they soon settled into the rhythm of things.

"_Look into my eyes_

_And you will see_

_What you mean to me…_

_Search your heart,_

_Search your soul_

_And when you find me there,_

_You'll search no more…" (Dawn sang)_

_Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for (both sang)_

_You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for_

_You know it's true_

_Everything I do, I do it for you…"_

Maybe it was the insulin spike from all that pasta and bread. Maybe it was the music—Melody later told Akito that Dawn's deepest desire had been to find a man she could sing a duet with—and she'd matched them up very well in that aspect. Maybe it was, like she had said, the drug-like chemicals his own body was pumping into his blood. Whatever the case, he felt very deeply contented. If she wanted to experience a human life for the next few months, he would do his best to make it a good one. All her angel friends back home would have plenty to talk about.

"Look into your heart, you will find (Alex sang)

There's nothin' there to hide

Take me as I am, take my life

I would give it all, I would sacrifice

Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for (both sang)

I can't help it, there's nothin' I want more

You know it's true

Everything I do, I do it for you…"

It was easy to forget they were in the midst of a crowd. Everyone else was in their own little bubble as well, he noticed. Melody's dark green eyes were shining softly. His hand cupped around her cheek, very gently, and guided her closer. Unlike the last time where he'd all but attacked her, this kiss was a lot softer. It didn't make the effect any less intense—her arms twined around his shoulders, as her legs had gone all wobbly again. Not really thinking about it, Akito's gift of sight from her switched on despite his closed eyes and a shimmering sea of auras lit up the darkness. Many of them were swirling and pulsing brightly, feeding off of the music and each other. In a place like this, it was easy to forget that there was hardship and grief in the world outside.

_She's blue and I'm red,_ Akito observed, _maybe one of these days we'll get around to making purple…_

Shocked that he'd actually thought that, he was very near laughing when the kiss ended. Then, he realized guiltily that he wouldn't be able to hide it from her. As the blood rushed to his cheeks, he noticed that there was a very mischievous twinkle in her eye. She'd seen. Oops…

_I need to be more careful…she can't read minds, but she's dangerously close to it…_

The song ended too soon, as always seemed to be the case. Dawn knelt at the edge of the stage and whispered something in Akito's ear. He nodded.

"Melody, would you come with me?" Dawn asked her.

She followed her, but kept giving Akito questioning looks over her shoulder.

_Enjoy your spotlight, Melody. Tonight, this world is yours,_ he thought. Returning to the table to enjoy the show, he settled into the big, squashy booth and sipped his tea. Alex brought out two dishes of tiramisu.

"On the house," he said warmly, "wife's orders. Enjoy!"

"Thank you," he said gratefully.

A surprised Melody came out on the stage and Dawn took the black and white guitar off of her own shoulders, held there by a red strap. She placed it on Melody and gestured to the microphone.

"Go on, sister."

Melody paused beneath the burning lights and looked out at all the still people on the dance floor. What felt like hundreds of eyes were on her.

"Well, uh, this is my first…public performance, I guess," Melody said, "thank you all for having me."

A few encouraging claps and cheers came up from them.

"Well, here goes," she said with a shrug. Unlike all the slower songs that had been playing, she chose Alanis Morrisette's "Guardian". Everyone was clapping and having a good time with the change of pace. Melody's gaze finally picked Akito out from the crowd as he raised his glass to her in an imaginary toast. She grinned.

"I'll be your keeper for life

As your guardian,

I'll be your warrior of care,

Your first warden!

I'll be your angel on call,

I'll be on demand,

The greatest honor of all

As your guardian!"

The band was having an easy enough time following her and they were having every bit as much fun as she was. Dawn and Alex dropped to the dance floor, Dawn singing along with her, though without a microphone. Alex had "The Smile", the one he only reserved for her. Akito had that feeling again—the one that made him feel like his body was too small for his heart. There was deafening applause when the song was finished. Breathless and rosy-cheeked, she returned to the table.

"You set me up," she accused.

"Yeah. I did. What are you going to do about it?"

"Take your dessert!"

He scooted the dish away from her.

"I let you get away with a lot," he argued, "but no one comes between me and tiramisu. Not even you."

She giggled.

"I can't really blame you."

Digging into hers, she devoured her portion eagerly. The check came right after he'd finished eating his. Things were starting to wind down for the evening—while it was nice to get out and try something different, it would be good to get home to the peace and quiet of their beloved gardens. They waved goodbye to Alex and Dawn before slipping into the cool, quiet night.

"Oh, that was fun!" Melody said, lifting her arms and spinning in a little circle as the breeze washed over her. He let her have her childish moment, content to watch her turn into a little girl in his mind. He wondered vaguely if angels were all childlike. She realized he was holding the door open for her and got in, grinning sheepishly.

It was dark by the time they got home. The car ride was relatively quiet. She leaned into his shoulder and he slipped one arm around her. A part of him ached with bittersweetness—couldn't it always be this way? Would Father truly mind if there was one less angel hanging around Heaven? It was selfish, he knew, but he didn't want to give her up. He'd even just thought of it as "their" home, not just "his".

The world was quiet, the summer night gentle. Not in the least bit of a hurry to go inside, the two of them wandered around the gardens.

"When it's…over…will you come and visit me?" he asked.

"Why do you keep asking about it?" Melody asked, actually sounding frustrated. He'd never heard her sound like that before.

"Because I want to know," he said, his tone hardening just a little bit.

"Of course," she answered quietly, "just because you won't see me doesn't mean I won't be there with you. You'll feel me."

"We only talk about it because we're all going to miss you."

"I know."

A tear trickled down her cheek. Feeling guilty, he gently wiped it away with his thumb. He hadn't meant to make her cry.

"It's getting harder to accept that I will have to go," she told him honestly, "I can't argue with Father. But I want to stay. I love you so much. And all the others…sometimes I even think it isn't fair, but I shouldn't. Father knows what He's doing."

He stroked her hair while she tried to compose herself. He didn't really know what to say to make her feel better, so he was silent. It was nice to know that she, at least, shared some of the feelings he did.

"I love you, too," he said quietly.

She looked at him with those big green eyes, still glistening with tears.

It was the first time Akito could remember saying that since Akira had passed away. Those had been his last words to his father and he hadn't been able to choke them out since. Sure, there were people like Hatori and Kyoko that he cared for, but always at arm's length. He'd once come to the conclusion that love made people vulnerable and weak. Maybe that was still the case, but he didn't care anymore. The girl was going to give up everything for him when he'd never asked. How could he not love her?

She flung her arms around him, hiccupping and doing something somewhere between laughing and crying—or maybe it was both at the same time. He actually heard his back pop, but didn't say anything. She always underestimated exactly how strong she was.

"We'll get through this," he told her, "somehow. You showed me that this curse didn't have to ruin my life. I'm not going to let it ruin yours, either."

It didn't make him less afraid, of course. It didn't make him less sad. But that night was when Akito realized the true meaning of bravery. It was being afraid and dealing with what you were scared of anyway. It was loving despite the prospect of pain. A year ago, he never would have dreamed of all the things he'd done. The idea of going into town by himself seemed out of the question. Taking a girl to dinner seemed even more out there.

_Is it all right, then, Papa? Can I forget being a god and just be Akito from now on?_ He wondered as he held Melody under the seemingly endless sky.


	28. Chapter 28

The knocking on the door sounded more like the blast of a cannon.

"Isuzu, are you all right? You've been in there for almost an hour," Kagura called.

"Just…go away!" Isuzu snapped, placing a slender hand to her raw throat. Despite the vent being on, the bitter stench hadn't dissipated and the spray-can of air freshener hadn't yet circulated enough to do its job.

"I'm calling Hatori," Kagura finally said.

"You'll do no such thing! He's got enough to deal with right now."

It was more of a token resistance than any actual desire to keep Hatori away. Isuzu was so miserable today that she just wanted to be left alone. Tears streamed down her cheeks, stained dark with the eyeliner she'd forgotten to wash off yesterday. She knew she made a rather pathetic sight right now. She'd thrown up so much that she couldn't move. Her cheek was resting on the toilet seat as if it were a trusted friend rather than just a household fixture. She was still dressed in her thin black nightgown that she favored, as she hadn't had any time to change her clothes.

It was an old, old battle. Since she'd been a child, there had been good days and then there were the terrible ones. Every day, she woke up not knowing if she would puke her guts out or if she'd be all right.

"He's on his way," Kagura said, returning after a few minutes, "can you come out now?"

Isuzu didn't answer for a moment, but then she remembered that Kagura was strong enough to break the door down if she put her mind to it. It took a concentrated effort to even lift her arm to unlock it. Once she'd done so, she let her arm sag back to her side.

"Has it ever been this bad?" Kagura asked, immediately alarmed by the grayish tinge of her skin.

"I'm sure it has," Isuzu said weakly. Though she hated to be babied in any way, she had to allow Kagura to help her up so that she could rinse her mouth out. Leaning heavily on the sink, she brushed her teeth with a shaking hand.

"Haru's coming, too," Kagura said quietly, handing her a glass of water.

"Tell the whole damn world, why don't you?" Isuzu snapped. She stared at the glass of water for a moment, then poured it out. Even the thought of swallowing water was enough to make the pre-vomit saliva build up in her mouth. She put the glass on the side of the sink and held onto the wall for support, as she still felt quite dizzy.

"He just happened to be in the room when Hatori answered the phone."

"I don't want to see him."

"Why not? You guys were having a great time together at the wedding!"

Isuzu sighed.

"Look…you know the truth as well as I do. I don't see any point in trying to hide it anymore," she said, "every single one of us is possessed. Even though neither one of us has had our curse broken yet, mine is getting worse."

She lifted the skirt of her nightgown, exposing her thighs, hip region, and very thin belly. There were several half-healed scratches there, as if someone or something had dragged a sharp, thin knife across the flesh.

"Isuzu!" Kagura's mouth dropped open.

"Before you say anything, I didn't do this, I swear," Isuzu told her, "I wake up with these scratches. The nightmares are getting worse. And I actually dreamed about killing him…it was so real…"

Her eyes filled with tears.

"I've hurt him so many times, Kagura. He's gotten hurt because of me. I can't put him through anything else like this. And you know what he's going to think when he sees these cuts…"

"But that's not you! He'll understand."

"No, he won't."

Isuzu yanked a robe out of one of her dresser drawers and tied it on. Ordinarily, she'd have just gotten dressed completely, but she didn't feel like bothering with all that right now. She'd probably just end up going back to bed after this was all over. As it was, she sank down onto the small twin-size mattress because her legs would no longer hold her.

"Do you want anything? Ginger ale? Cup of broth?"

"No. I don't feel like risking it. Can you just…please let me alone for now?"

Kagura didn't want to leave her, but she did. Isuzu let her eyes slide closed. Despite her extreme reluctance to have Haru here, she wanted to feel his arms around her. Last month had been when the nightmares had intensified. He'd slipped in through the window a lot and had stayed here undetected though Kagura had a general idea of what was going on. Having his body curled around hers was one of the few things that made her feel safe.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," Isuzu croaked.

As expected, it was Haru first. She resisted hugging him initially, but the resistance didn't last long. For one, she was too weak. He easily hauled her into his arms and cradled her like she weighed nothing (which she practically did—she and Akito were the lightest people he'd ever carried).

Hatori and Melody followed. Isuzu wanted to throw something—there were too many people in here and her vision was blurring a little bit.

"Stomach again?" Hatori asked.

"Yes," she said through gritted teeth, "Haru, go downstairs."

"But—"

"JUST DO IT!" she shouted shrilly, making them all jump. Looking slightly hurt, he sighed and let go of her. The silent plea in his silver eyes was obvious as he passed the two healers.

"Is there a reason you didn't want him in here?" Melody asked.

"Yes," she sighed, "one of your 'friends' has been here. And I didn't want him to get the wrong idea."

Loathe to expose how weak she was a second time, she revealed the scratches. Melody cringed. She whispered something in Hatori's ear, which made him stare at her in disbelief.

"Before I do anything else, let me clean these out," Hatori told her. He sponged antiseptic over them, which made her cringe, but she endured the stinging in her usual stoic manner. She was glad to pull the nightgown back down. He checked her temperature, her heart rate, and all that other stuff. Then, he probed her belly as gently as he could while asking where it hurt and so forth. The usual questions were answered mechanically. But then, there came one that she didn't expect:

"Forgive me for such a personal question, but how long as it been since you last had a period?"

"A while," she answered, "but it always skips because I'm underweight. You told me that."

Much to her mortification, he took a pregnancy test out of the doctor's bag.

"Don't panic, it's just to rule that out," he said, placing it in her hands, "it's better to be safe than sorry, don't you agree?"

Hatori was probably the only other person in the world who knew the depth of her past relationship with Haru and it was simply because he was a doctor. Though she trusted him with her life, she was still embarrassed that he would think of such a thing. When she finally mustered up the courage to take it into the bathroom with her, she could hear Melody whispering to him and wished she would shut up for two seconds.

"You know for sure? You can see it?" Hatori asked her.

Melody nodded grimly.

"Father told me in a dream last night," she said, "that's why the new medicine isn't working. She's lost weight, but that won't last long."

Isuzu was in there for a long time. Part of the problem was that she was so dehydrated that she couldn't go right away. The other problem was that she knew she had an audience. After a while, she heard the door close and relaxed. Good…

Despite knowing it might make her sick, she drank two glasses of water. Pacing around, fidgeting with the towels and the shower curtain, Isuzu felt the panic start to come. What would Haru say? And the others? Worse, what would Akito think? Though he'd let the thing with Kyo and Tohru go, and had managed to capture Melody's heart himself, she didn't think he'd let her and Haru get off the hook so easily when he'd worked so hard to keep them apart. The memories of the day he'd beaten her and pushed her out the window were too vivid though it had happened almost a year ago. She didn't want to take that risk again. And then there were these demons…

She emerged from the bathroom with the small stick in her hand. The little beep it emitted was like an alarm, as Melody poked her head in the door. Isuzu felt like that little piece of plastic weighed a ton as she turned it over to see what it said. Then, it was as if the bottom dropped out of her world. Melody caught her as she blacked out.

"What does it say?" Hatori asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Pregnant," Melody replied, hauling the unconscious girl over to the bed.

No one really knew how to start a conversation like this. Melody bravely marched down the stairs while Hatori held a vial of smelling salts under Isuzu's nose.

"What's going on up there?" Haru demanded.

"Something I would like for you to see for yourself. You, too, Kagura."

They followed her. The scene that followed was something they did not expect: Isuzu sobbing her heart out into her pillow while Hatori had his hand placed on her back. The little white stick was still laying on the bed beside her. Haru's heart jumped into his throat. With a trembling hand, he picked it up and examined it. The little digital readout was quite plain. There was no mistaking it. Kagura gasped and her eyes widened.

"Isuzu…I had no idea…" she whispered.

"NEITHER DID I!" Isuzu yelled, though it was muffled by the pillow.

Haru and Hatori traded places, as he wanted to comfort her. Needed to…

"Hey," he whispered, "I'm here."

She struck at him, but he caught her wrist easily, restraining her as gently as he could.

"I hate you! Get away from me!"

"Do you really?" he asked gently, "Or is that the fear talking?"

"You idiot! Akito's going to kill us both! Do you not remember what happened the last time?! And that was nothing compared to this!"

She was breathing quite raggedly now.

"He's not going to kill us," Haru argued quietly, though he himself wasn't one hundred percent sure.

"Yes he is…both of us…and this…thing!" She couldn't bring herself to say the word "baby".

"He won't," Melody said quietly, "he's changed."

"Sure, that's what he wants you to think!" Isuzu tore away from Haru and the others. She couldn't stand the thought of being around any of them suddenly and sprinted down the stairs and out the door.

"We have to stop her," Melody said, "today's the day. I can see it."

Isuzu went tearing down the sidewalk. Rain was coming down in sheets and she couldn't see, but she kept running. Feeling sick and exhausted, she clung to a brick wall and tried to stop the dry heaves that were wracking her already deprived frame. A mist was settling down over the world and she could hardly see where she was. Her legs gave out from under her and she dropped to the sidewalk. She heard something growling from the alley, but she felt too miserable to be scared by some stray dog.

Something wet and hairy grazed her arm and she jumped. A little wheat-colored puppy was there, wagging her tail. It couldn't have been very old, because it still had a big head, a big body (relatively speaking, as it was only slightly bigger than her hand), and stubby little legs and a tail. It hardly had any fur on it and was probably crawling with fleas.

"Go away, you little rat!" Isuzu snapped. The puppy wasn't listening. It rolled on its back in what was supposed to be an amicable gesture for a dog. It was a girl.

"Get out of here! I don't want you!" she yelled.

The dog only looked up at her with big, dark eyes.

Then, something she truly dreaded happened. The familiar black car, the one she hoped she'd never see, pulled up to the curb. The window rolled down with painful slowness. There was the face that had haunted her nightmares.

"Isuzu? What are you doing out here?" he asked, puzzled.

Isuzu didn't answer. She was too weak to run. Both the stores on either side of the alley were closed and the wall was too high to get over. She was trapped. Out of instinct, she picked up the puppy and hugged her to her chest.

The door sprang open and Akito got out of the car. She saw his long, thin legs getting closer and her heart started to pound.

"Everyone's worried about you," he said, bending over her, "and you're completely soaked."

She squeezed her eyes shut, wishing this was all just a bad dream.

"Come on. Get in the car."

"N-n-no," she stammered.

Akito slipped his arms under hers and hauled her to her feet.

"I said come on," he said firmly, "that's an order."

She had no choice but to obey. Her breath hitching in nervous sobs, she followed him and slunk into the passenger's side. The poor puppy was probably getting squashed as tightly as she was being held, but the poor, pitiful creature didn't fight back. She was probably chilled and was glad to have someone to snuggle against.

"Who's your friend?" Akito asked, noticing the little black dog nose poking out above Isuzu's elbow. Numbly, Isuzu looked down and realized he was talking about the dog.

"I…I don't know," she said reluctantly, "she's a stray…"

She began to shiver all over. It was as if there was a coldness that the car's heater couldn't touch. They arrived at the house all too quickly. Even if it was just a coincidence that Akito happened to be out here and he didn't know yet, that merciful few moments of driving was going to be over in a few seconds. Numb, Isuzu obediently followed him into the house. Melody put her arm around her and steered her upstairs.

"Come on," she said gently, "let's get you out of these soaked clothes."

"He's going to kill us," Isuzu whimpered, her eyes distant as if she were seeing something that Melody wasn't.

"He's not going to kill you, I promise. Now, I'm going to run you a hot bath and get you some dry clothes. And then—"

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Isuzu snarled. The poor puppy dropped to the floor, as Isuzu seemed to have forgotten she was there. Whimpering, the puppy shot out the door and ran squealing downstairs. Melody paused in opening one of the dresser drawers and turned around just as Isuzu rammed into her with her shoulder. Instinctively wrapping her arms around Isuzu to keep from falling, she took them both to the floor.

"Isuzu, stop," she said firmly when Isuzu tried to strike at her. She dodged the first blow, but took the second one in the gut. Melody was forced to push her over and sit on her back, pinning her down.

"I'm sorry," Melody sighed, "but this has to be done now, I guess."

She yelled for Akito. Isuzu managed to throw her off. The others came up the stairs after hearing the noise. Just like her Zodiac animal, Isuzu was quite strong and it took all of them to finally pin her to the bed. Bruised and sweaty and breathless from effort, Melody and Akito made their journey into Isuzu's very spirit.

"Will you please tell me what's going on to make everyone act so strange?" he asked when they "landed" in the middle of what looked like a graveyard.

"Isuzu found out this morning that she's going to be a mother," Melody replied, taking his hand, "and the demon was giving her a hard time, taking advantage of her fear of you."

Akito found himself dearly wishing he hadn't put that talk off with her and Hatsuharu.

"I was wondering what his problem was," Akito answered, "he seemed unusually destructive lately."

Again, that pang of guilt surfaced. He had been so preoccupied with his new relationship with Melody that he'd completely forgotten the others temporarily. It was easy to forget that evil existed in such enormous quantities with Melody around. They waded through the thick fog and Akito shuddered at the gravestones.

"I hate graveyards more than hospitals," he announced with conviction, "I'm sure you understand why."

"Yes," Melody answered, "it's never easy, especially for someone like you who never knew what waited on the other side until recently."

"I know you get tired of me asking, but why a graveyard?"

"It's a cemetery because Isuzu believes she has to give up all the things she wants for herself. A normal family, for one. A long-term relationship for another. Plenty of things…she believes she can never have those for herself and she's grieving those losses."

"So…what's going to happen with her? Are we going to find her in some kind of a coffin?"

He shuddered.

"I don't know," Melody answered.

"Is it just me or is this fog getting worse?"

"It's getting worse. Hang onto my hand and don't let go."

"Um…Melody? What's that noise?"

"Shhh…"

At first, they thought it was thunder. Before long, Akito realized that it sounded like something else. He felt the vibrations coming up through the ground.

"Here it comes," he said nervously.

A dark shape burst out of the mist quite suddenly. Akito grabbed Melody's arm and yanked her to the side before the creature could run her over. What he saw first was blackness, then green fire. The creature skidded to a halt before turning to look at them.

"What the Hell is that?!" Akito asked.

The thing was clearly a horse—or what had once been. It had pupil-less green eyes that glowed intensely. While it had four legs and the general structure of a horse, the resemblance stopped there. There were patches of fur missing and in some cases, exposed muscle and bone and even organs. Its mane and tail were made of green flames and it had what looked like horns arranged in a crown pattern.

"My guess would be a nightmare," Melody said, only half-joking. Akito noticed something silver around its neck.

"Great…" he mumbled.

"Akito!"

Akito let go of her hand and approached the horse very carefully. It stared at him incredulously as if to ask him if he really wanted the key so badly. His small hand reached toward the loop of chain that held the key over the enormous animal's chest. Just as his hand closed around it, the horse opened its enormous mouth, exposing a double row of impossibly sharp fangs. Akito yelped and yanked the key loose just before those rotten fangs closed on his arm. He sprinted in the other direction, not even really sure of where he was going. The beast galloped after him, soon overtaking him. Melody snared his sleeve and yanked him to the side.

"Come on!"

"Where are we going?!"

"I don't know," Melody panted, "but we can't stay here!"

The horse charged after them, making a terrible noise in its throat. It exhaled a jet of green fire and Melody yelped in pain as some of it grazed her leg. She and Akito saw what looked like a mausoleum up ahead.

"Quick! In there!" Melody yelled.

"Who's arguing?" he responded, wishing he didn't feel like his lungs were on fire. Another gout of flame came so close to hitting him that he felt his back blistering. They hurried up the stairs and hauled the heavy door aside. Both slammed it shut just as the horse breathed fire a third time.

"Okay…that wasn't so hard," Melody panted.

"Yeah, but now what? We're trapped," Akito said, sagging against the door, "and this door is made out of wood. Of course it is…why wouldn't it be?"

"Let's try to find Isuzu…maybe she's in here," Melody said, "before that door gives.

They looked around. There was hardly any light at all in here. Melody retrieved a burned out torch and pinched it between her fingers. With considerable difficulty, she managed to get it to light.

"It's hard to do intentionally," she said, embarrassed, "it kind of hurts, actually."

"Why?"

"Because I have to draw on fury that I don't really feel. So I have to remember something that upsets me."

One by one, though he very much hated to do it, he started lifting the lids on the caskets. The stench of rotting flesh almost made him get sick, but he forced himself to ignore it. Even so, pulling the collar of his shirt up over his nose helped considerably. The door began to shudder and he could see the green flames coming through the cracks.

"Over here!" Melody called.

He hurried to the corner where she was at. The last casket had another one inside it—smaller, metallic. It was covered in chains and locked. At least it wasn't charring his hand to a crisp like last time. He unlocked it and he and Melody tugged the chains off and opened the second casket. Isuzu was there, all right, but she was still unconscious.

"Isuzu, wake up!" Akito demanded. She blinked, struggling to open her eyes.

"Go away, Akito," she said, almost resigned.

"If you won't do it for me, do it for your baby! That thing out there is going to get all of us if you don't help!"

Isuzu's eyes filled with tears. That was right…the baby…the baby she wasn't even yet sure she wanted.

The door splintered apart as the enormous horse-demon burst into the mausoleum.

"I remember you," Isuzu said to it, "I dreamed about you. You used to be so pretty…"

They all stared in shock as the horse made a neigh similar to laughter.

"So…this was who you were all along," Isuzu said brokenly, climbing out of the casket, "you made me trust you, made me want to become you. And you stuffed me in this box and tried to hurt me and my friends. You scratched me up with your horns. You really have become a nightmare."

The horse reared, preparing to smash its hooves into Isuzu, but she dodged.

"You're forgetting something," she said darkly, "I'm faster than you are."

They split up in three different directions. The horse followed Isuzu, becoming more distorted and ugly the further it ran. And the more desperate it seemed to become to catch her. She outran it easily, wondering what it was that she was supposed to do to get rid of it.

"Talk to Father!" Melody yelled from a great distance away.

"Who is He, anyway?" Isuzu yelled back. She dodged the horse's dagger-like horns and wondered how anyone was really going to help her out of this one. She had not seen this mysterious Father that Melody was ALWAYS talking about. The horse snapped at her with its enormous fangs and exhaled another jet of fire. Was it just her or was it getting bigger…and faster?

She ran.

The horse galloped after her, testing her endurance and speed. It didn't really seem in too much of a hurry to get her; it was more or less toying with her. It wanted to wear her down. She remembered all the times that she'd seen this horse in her dreams—it had been an imaginary friend of sorts, the only thing she really trusted. She'd written poems and stories and sometimes even drawn pictures of it. But now, she came to realize that what it had been doing all along was separating her from everything and everyone else. Her hand pressed to her still-flat belly, knowing that she was not alone. And no matter what, she'd never be alone again. She was not going to be the same kind of mother that her own had been. A fierce protectiveness rose up in her as she dodged the demon horse's hooves yet again.

"It's mine," she snapped at it, "you can't have it and that just irritates the crap out of you, doesn't it? For once, I have something that I won't share!"

The horse "bugled" (made a trumpeting sound that stallions often made when they were challenging one another) and charged again—but this time, he (Isuzu was sure it was male by "just a feeling) charged right past her and towards Melody and Akito. Akito was bleeding—she didn't even notice it before, but a thread of blood was snaking down the side of his face. He ran, clearly torn between staying with Melody and drawing the enormous beast away. Bravely, he picked up a rock and pitched it at the creature's head. The horse was gaining on him, growing more and more savage and furious. His fire-jets were getting more distance now that he was getting bigger. Some of them caught Akito's back and he was forced to drop and roll or risk being consumed. The smell of burnt flesh was absolutely sickening. He was pale—paler than she'd ever seen him, and afraid. She'd never seen him afraid before. She yelled, threw stones, tried everything to get the demon horse to leave him alone, but it seemed intent on killing both of them. The message was clear: _if I cannot destroy you, I will destroy your friends instead._

"HELP ME!" Isuzu screamed to the lead-gray sky, "WHERE THE HELL ARE YOU?! HELP ME! HELP THEM! PLEASE!"

Her throat burned. The green flames were spreading and Melody and Akito had nowhere to go. The horse had walled them in. Just as it was about to bring its hooves down on both of them, there was an odd roaring sound. Isuzu stood trembling, hugging her arms close to her body with silent tears running down her face. What now?

A lion burst through the wall of flames. It was unlike any lion she'd ever seen—it had white fur and brilliant eyes that glowed like blue fire. It rammed into the horse, knocking it away from the helpless pair. The lion grabbed hold of one of the horse's legs, dragging it away, and gave it a good shake though the size difference was immense. The horse was clearly in pain, but Isuzu felt no sympathy for it now. With one last earth-shaking roar, the horse shrank and its fire died. Now just an emaciated cripple with no special powers, it crumbled into dust. The lion looked up at Isuzu and she suddenly _knew._ It was as if that glowing gaze could penetrate her, see past her skin, her muscles, her organs, and into her very soul. And for the first time, being vulnerable didn't scare her. Shaking with quiet sobs, she staggered towards the lion and threw her arms around it.

"Thank you," she whispered. The lion put one massive paw on her back, returning the hug.

"It's going to be all right now, right? It won't come back?" she asked shakily. The lion shook its head.

"And the baby?"

The lion seemed to smile. His white fur began to shine, as if the inner glow he carried were too big to be contained any longer. Melody and Akito were hugging each other as if they'd never see each other again, though they knew they would in a few seconds. The world disappeared in a bright flash of light, being replaced by very familiar surroundings.

Isuzu opened her eyes. Rain was still beating against the windows. She was still in her soaked nightgown and robe, her bare feet splashed with mud. But she was warm—warm all over as if an invisible fire burned in her. The very eyes that she had once feared the most were the ones that she saw first and there was an uncharacteristic warmth in the dark sapphire depths.

"Welcome back," Akito greeted her.


	29. Chapter 29

"Isn't the stereotype that pregnant women glow? I look like a zombie," Isuzu muttered. One mercifully hot shower and a change of clothes later, she stood in front of the mirror while she toweled her hair. Her skin had pinked a little from the shower's heat, but there were still bruise-like rings under her dark eyes and her cheek bones were poking out a bit more than was healthy.

"You look like one of the most beautiful women to ever exist," Hatsuharu told her lovingly, coming up behind her to put his arms around her.

"Say that when I throw up on you," she retorted.

"I will. You know I will."

This morning seemed so distant that it had a dreamlike quality to it. While it was just now around lunchtime, it seemed as if more than just a mere two hours had passed. The others were downstairs while Melody tried her hand at cooking. Kagura, of course, was lending her a hand—she was quite capable of not burning down the kitchen as long as Kyo wasn't around. After making sure she was all right, Melody subtly suggested that they give the young couple some time alone. They did, after all, have a lot to talk about.

"Are you…sure this is what you want?" Isuzu finally asked.

"Of course it is. I never stopped loving you, you know. I just wish I could figure out what I did to make you stop talking to me after the wedding."

She rested her head on his chest.

"I just didn't want a repeat of history. I gave you up to try and protect you."

"That was stupid."

"I know…"

"And it makes me love you that much more."

He caressed her cheek.

"I know about it. I've known for a long time now—what Akito did. Hiro told me even though both you and Akito both put a lot of pressure on him not to. It was hard for him, but it was much harder for him to live with a secret like that."

Isuzu had regretted making the kid carry a secret like that. The day would always be fresh in her memory.

_"Is that MY box in your hands?" Akito had snatched it away from her, the black fury very visible in his dark blue eyes. Isuzu's expression was carefully masked, though she was terrified of him._

_ "What were you going to do with my box, hmmm? Did you think it would be funny to steal from me? I know everything that goes on around here."_

_ All it had taken was one small mental tug. Isuzu felt herself numbly dropping to her knees. She hated the effect he had on all the Zodiac members. _

_ "What's the big deal? It's empty anyway," she answered bravely, "how can you miss an empty, beat-up old box?"_

_ He grabbed a handful of her hair and jerked it so hard that she heard a tearing noise and felt a warm trickle of blood. She was forced to look up into his face now where the fury was flowing into a maddened sneer._

_ "What's the big deal? You want to know what the big deal is? It wasn't yours to take regardless of whether you believe it has any value or not. Didn't you learn from your parents that stealing is wrong?"_

_ She didn't answer._

_ "No," Akito said, grabbing another handful of her hair, "I suppose you didn't. They're not exactly the teaching sort, are they? Well…since you are actually more of my responsibility than theirs and I clearly love you much more than they do, I'm going to have to teach you a lesson."_

_ "What kind of lesson?" she asked tremulously._

_ "I'm going to have to take away what's most precious to you so that you'll know how it feels."_

_ Kneeling in front of her so that they were eye to eye, Akito released her long black hair and ran his fingers through it. _

_ "I'll bet all the other girls see this hair and envy it," he said softly, "how dark and thick it is, how it shines in the light…and I'll bet the boys love to touch it…especially our dear Haru."_

_ Isuzu gasped involuntarily._

_ "Oh, yes," Akito said menacingly, "I know about the two of you. I feel it through our bond. I smell his scent on you right now and it sickens me. Did you really think you could hide it?"_

_ She was trembling now, her vision blurring with tears. _

_ "It would explain why you haven't been to see me recently, anyway," Akito continued, "if you had been truthful with me, you wouldn't be in such a mess right now, would you?"_

_ "Don't hurt him," she pleaded, "please…"_

_ "Tell me who put you up to this and I might leave him alone."_

_ She hung her head._

_ "Ren wanted the box. She promised me she'd tell me how to break Haru's curse if I brought it to her."_

_ "You are a fool. If she really knew how to break it, don't you think she'd have done so while my father was still alive?"_

_ Isuzu heard a tear hit the floor with a soft "pttt" sound._

_ "ANSWER ME!"_

_ "Yes…" she sobbed._

_ "And don't you think I wouldn't have found out about that?"_

_ "Yes…"_

_ Akito rose and took something out of a drawer. She couldn't tell what it was. He motioned for her to follow him outside._

_ "Kneel."_

_ Shaking uncontrollably, she did as he said not because he demanded it, but because her legs weren't holding her weight well. She felt him gathering up all her hair._

_ "Maybe next time you'll do the smart thing and tell me when someone is up to no good," he said coldly. _

_ SNICK!_

_ The blades of the scissors were cold against the back of her neck. Within a few seconds, she was surrounded by a half-circle of her own hair, now laying lifelessly in the manicured grass. She wore a mask of emotionlessness, though she knew she must now look terrible. _

_ "Up," he demanded, tossing the scissors aside. He led her to the Cat's room and locked her in. She watched as his silhouette against the light disappeared behind the heavy barred door and the finality as the key turned in the lock. Running her fingers through her now ragged and short hair, she finally allowed herself to give in to the torrent of tears. Upon finding out later on after Kureno had let her out that she hadn't obeyed and broken up with Hatsuharu, she was again summoned to the main house. This time, the meeting had unfortunately been on the upper story. All he had to do was be near her to know that she hadn't done as he'd told her and shoved her so hard that she'd fallen out the window._

"I went after him," Haru told her, "I went black and I went after him. I wanted to kill him—and I tried. But I couldn't touch him. It was like he'd gotten this otherworldly strength and speed and he just kept dodging me."

Both of them looked towards the door.

"I can't even believe it's the same person," Isuzu admitted. They could hear laughter coming from downstairs—Akito's laughter mingling in with all the rest.

"Do you know why he pushed me out there? Because I told him he was jealous. I said he was just angry because I had someone who loved me and he didn't."

Haru laughed.

"Wow…you really are brave. I'd have liked to seen the look on his face."

"No, you wouldn't have."

She combed out her wet hair—thankful it was growing back now, and turned to face him.

"Everything's happened so fast…I'm so afraid I'll wake up and it be another dream," she admitted.

"I'm not. It's going to be okay. I promise."

They went to join the others. Everyone was crowded around the small table, all of them talking at once. Two seats had been saved right next to each other for them.

"You're going to be everybody's uncle before long," Melody was informing Akito, "they'll all want to come to your house because you have the biggest yard to play in!"

"That's all we need," Akito muttered, "more kids running around making me feel old."

There was a small smile as he said it, though. No longer on the pedestal looking down at the world below, he truly felt as if he were _in_ the family instead of just their "manager". He sipped his tea serenely. Haru slid the chair in for Isuzu. Though it was an antiquated gesture, he was living proof that chivalry was still hanging onto the lifeline somewhere.

"Lo Mein? Melody made it," Hatori offered. Akito was taking second helpings, which actually said a lot for her cooking. His appetite was usually quite sparse and he was very, very picky.

"Tohru's the one we ought to thank," she said modestly, "it was her recipe."

They got their servings. Now that the pain and sickness had stopped, Isuzu was surprised to find that she was quite hungry. Eagerly digging in, she began to wonder whether it was going to be a boy or a girl. She hoped she wasn't too malnourished to carry it now that she realized it was there.

"Melody? Do you know which one it is?"

"Are you sure you want to know yet?"

"I'm sure."

Everyone stopped talking.

"You're going to have a son."

The table erupted into cheers.

"Congratulations," Hatori said, placing a hand on Hatsuharu's shoulder. He gave a nervous smile.

"It's important that we discuss your futures," Akito said, "as Isuzu has one more year of school and Haru has two."

The two of them glanced at each other nervously.

"Well…I haven't really thought about it," Haru spoke up, "but I'll get a job after school and start saving up."

"I see," Akito said softly, "and you, Isuzu?"

She looked down at her plate.

"I don't know. I'm not really good at anything," she admitted.

"What about your dr-"

Kagura paused when Isuzu shot her a venomous look, but squared her shoulders.

"She draws. A lot. And takes pictures. And writes poems," Kagura blurted out, "I'm sorry, but it's true. You really are good at it. And you've even given Ayame some ideas. Please don't kill me for looking through your stuff…"

Isuzu's glare darkened, but Haru squeezed her hand under the table. Like all of her other secrets, he had previously been the only one she'd ever told.

"Thanks a lot, Kagura," Isuzu muttered.

"It's true, though…you never give yourself credit for anything," Kagura said, almost near tears. She had always wanted a sister and Isuzu was the closest she'd ever had to one. No matter what, though, the wall had always remained up between them.

"I would like to see some of those after we're done here," Akito said with a gentle firmness.

Isuzu sighed wearily.

"Sure," she muttered, knowing that the choice was taken out of her hands.

After they were finished eating, she bravely went up the stairs and Akito followed.

"Don't worry," Hatori said to a very nervous Haru, "he's not going to hurt her. I can feel it."

"Promise not to laugh, all right? Haru's the only one who's ever…"

She trailed off, realizing it was yet another secret she hadn't yet told him and flinched.

"I won't laugh," was all he said.

She retrieved the box from the back of the closet. It was half-buried in a bunch of other stuff. She was always careless about putting her things away and tried to discreetly move things like underwear that she didn't really want anyone seeing. At last, she unearthed it and placed it on the desk.

"I'll start with the most recent," she said, taking out a manila envelope, "these are prints from the wedding."

There were various shots of the guests. Somehow, Isuzu had snapped a picture right at the moment Kana and Hatori kissed. There were some of them dancing and some of the other couples. They were all more than just frozen in time—she had captured a bit of who they were in each one. There was a high-contrast shot of Haru where half his face was lit and half was dark. There was one of Tohru and Kyo dancing. Kyo, though nervous, was enjoying his new freedom and he had a gleam of hope in his eyes. And then…

"I forgot about that one," Isuzu said quietly, feeling her pulse racing and the blood draining out of her face.

There was one of Melody and Akito dancing. The rest of the crowd was in soft-focus, completing the effect that they were in their own little world. Akito's soft smile gave away the blooming love that was inside him. Melody's large, soft eyes showed the fascination as she, too, was realizing her feelings as well. At first, Isuzu was afraid he'd be upset with her, so she backed away.

"I wasn't aware that anyone got a picture of us," he said, never once taking his eyes off of it, "I would like a copy of this."

"They're digital, so I can make as many as you want," she said carefully.

He looked through her sketches and her poems and each one left him more impressed than the last. They detailed a great deal of her innermost feelings, everything from her feelings towards Haru to her parents to the horse-demon that had once been her only friend.

"I really would like for you to stop keeping secrets from me," he said, looking up at her, "I can't help you if you don't tell me about things like this."

She looked down at her pale, slender hands.

"I know that's my fault. My cruelty to you was probably more intense than any of the others," Akito continued, "I saw you as someone like me, maybe the one person who understood more than the others about being unwanted. And then, you got what I wanted: someone who would accept you no matter your flaws. That terrible day I hurt you, I did so because you were right about me and I knew it deep down."

He placed his hand over hers. Bony and pale—they weren't really so different. Both of those hands could dispense a great deal of cruelty when they wanted to, but both were quite fragile underneath. And both were just now realizing the true power they held.

"I truly am sorry about the way I've treated both of you—all of you, actually. I can't take back what I've said or done, but I'll do my best to help you all from here on out. I want to know all of you as the people you've become. And I hope someday, you'll all find it in your heart to forgive me."

For the first time, her gaze met his.

"You're serious about this, aren't you? It's not a way to impress Little Miss Angel down there?"

"No. Who've I got to impress anyway? She already loves me for who I am—as terrible as I may be. Besides, I've only got her for a short time. This about the ones who are going to be around afterward. I've treated every last one of you terribly—for some, like Ritsu and Kyo, I was very neglectful. For you and Hatsuharu and Kisa, I've been abusive."

"Kisa?!" Isuzu's voice was sharp, "You hurt Kisa, too?"

"It's not something I'm proud of," he answered dejectedly, "yet another big apology I owe—and then some."

"She's just a little girl! How could you?!"

Isuzu stepped back, but it was more out of habit. She was used to weaving through Akito's punches, trying to keep the worst of the damage off of her face.

"The same way I hurt anyone else who hasn't deserved it," Akito answered bluntly, "I thought being god meant I could do whatever I wanted to anyone I wanted to when I wanted. But now I'm starting to see things very differently."

She stared. This was not the same man who had chopped off her hair and locked her up in the dark. This was not the same man who had pushed her out the window and broken half the bones in her body. This was…a stranger. One that at the very least was not nearly so threatening.

Akito stood, careful not to make any sudden movements. Isuzu was nervous; he could actually smell the adrenaline coming off of her. It was a secret he'd hidden from everyone since he could remember.

"Isuzu, if you don't want to be friends with me, I truly don't blame you. But I still want to help you both. You'll finish school, and then what? All of this…it's too impressive for you to waste your talent with a dead-end job. I can make you a deal: you give me copies of these and I will use my connections to help you build a name for yourself."

"What's the catch?" she asked warily.

Akito had anticipated that she'd be suspicious. Fortunately, he had an idea that would make life ten times easier on everyone.

"The catch is that you've got to try harder. No more skipping school unless you're legitimately sick. No more being careless about your studies—your ideas are good, but I saw a lot of mistakes. No more staying out God-Knows-Where at God-Knows-When in the morning—you're going to be a mother and you need to get all the rest you can. That's all."

She raised an eyebrow.

"I'll be checking with Kagura's parents and your teachers," he warned, "so think it over."

She swallowed hard. Several seconds of quiet passed between them.

"Sorry…it's just…this is so weird. I keep thinking I'm going to wake up any second and you're going to go back to being a complete…"

"Say it," he pressed.

"….a complete bastard."

"There. Now it's out and the world didn't end. You can stop cringing now."

He gave her a small smile.

"Does this mean we don't have to…you know…" she couldn't finish it, but he knew what she meant.

"Of course not. That kid is going to need both parents. Just because we never had that experience doesn't mean I'm going to ruin someone else's chance."

"Thank you," she said genuinely.

He offered his hand to her. She had only to take a step forward to squeeze it, but it was a hard gap to close. Smiling faintly herself, she placed her hand in his. She was no longer a woman with a trapped horse spirit, but now a woman becoming many other things as well. While horses could be easily frightened and untrusting once hurt or scared, they could also forgive with the right touch. A person had only to speak reassuringly to the horse and to show it that they had only the best intentions for it by leading it safely through the dark woods. Though big and powerful and fast, there was something about that trust and that willing vulnerability that made them very unique. She was no longer a horse inside, but she still had those characteristics. Deep down, she didn't feel like that was ever going to change. As Akito left her there to go rejoin the others, he knew he had a lot of work to do in regaining her trust. But, as Melody had shown him with the others, it would be worth it.

One week later, the phone rang. Kagura was over at a friend's house and her parents were at work, so Haru and Isuzu had the place to themselves. Lying contentedly in her boyfriend's arms, Isuzu turned her hand over and watched as the diamond sparkled in the sunlight. It really was beautiful—she never dreamed that someone like her would be wearing it. When she'd asked where Haru had gotten it, he'd said, "Well…I was saving up to get one for you, but Akito got there first. When I told him I couldn't possibly take it, he gave me a lecture on why it was rude to refuse a gift." She'd laughed and let him slip it on her finger. They'd loved each other since they were children—no matter how hard she'd tried, she couldn't get rid of him. Now, with Akito's blessing, she didn't have to give him up ever again.

Snapping out of her reverie, she answered the phone.

"Hello?"

"Hello, Ma'am. This is Lee Qian with Dawnstar Publishing. I'm calling for Isuzu Sohma."

"That's me," she said, stunned.

"I'm calling on behalf of the book you sent in. We don't normally publish books for children or teens, but I think in this case we will make an exception. I myself am one of the editors as well as the president and I couldn't put it down. I took it home with me and my daughter loved it as well."

Isuzu's eyes grew wide. As she listened to Lee Qian talk about the process of getting a book published and what she could earn from it, her eyes grew even bigger.

"So, Miss Sohma, do we have a deal?"

"Yeah, uh, of course!"

She was going to tell Haru, but judging by the look on his face, he already knew.

"Well, it's been nice talking with you, Miss Sohma. I look forward to seeing more of your work," Mr. Qian said warmly.

"Yeah…thank you. Goodbye."

She and Haru exchanged glances.

"He worked fast, didn't he?" was all she could get out.

"Yeah…but you know what this means, right?"

"What?"

"You'd better get a tutor for your math homework before he finds out about that last test grade."

"I have an excuse," she shot back, "I was in the bathroom for half of it puking my guts out. I'd like to see him argue against a bad case of morning sickness. And somebody really ought to tell our teacher not to eat such smelly food for breakfast—ugh…"

"Don't think about it," Haru said quickly, "here, have a mint!"

She chuckled and took one from the little round Icebreakers container he had pulled out of his pocket. Peppermints were one of the few things that helped her when she started to feel sick. She would be glad when her sense of smell returned to normal—it didn't help, either, that the horse spirit residing in her body for so long had heightened her sense of smell.

"Well…I'd better call him and thank him," Isuzu finally decided, "I really do owe him one."

She dialed a number that she never dreamed she'd be calling willingly. When the cool, dark voice answered on the other end, she never thought she'd smile to hear it.

"Hi, Akito," she said awkwardly, "guess who I just got a phone call from?"

"It took them long enough," he answered, "what was their offer?"

She told him and heard his appreciative chuckle on the other end.

"Not bad for a first book—that will buy a lot of diapers."

She giggled.

"I…I wanted to thank you," she said finally, "but just out of curiosity, they said it was an actual book. All I gave you were ripped notebook pages and doodles. How did you get a book out of all that?"

"Let's just say someone's been holding out with her computer skills."

"Melody?" she guessed.

"Melody," he confirmed.

"Is she around?"

"Not right now. She's humiliating Hiro at Soul Calibur V as punishment for trying to hack into her computer."

Isuzu laughed.

"I hope she clobbers him. He needs a few notches taken off his ego."

There was a burst of laughter in the background.

"She got him, didn't she?"

"Of course," he answered, amused, "well, I have to go now. It's my turn to get beaten. Thank you for letting me know about this."

She smiled.

"Thank you for getting it there," she said quietly, "one of my biggest dreams finally came true."

Her eyes glittered with tears.

_Damn pregnancy hormones!_ She thought as she said goodbye to Akito.

"What did he say? Did he make you cry again?" Haru asked defensively.

"No," she said, dabbing at her eyes with the back of her hand, "it's just…you know…baby tears."

He nodded understandingly. She'd been sensitive to everything, both good and bad lately. Just as she replaced the phone, he pulled her back into his arms.

"We have exactly eleven minutes before they get home," he said with a mischievous grin, "that's time for a lot of your kisses."

And that is why Isuzu, for the rest of her life, associated Haru's kisses with peppermints.


	30. Chapter 30

The oppressive heat finally vanished with the middle of October. The temperature at night dropped so that the extra blankets were finally needed and the days were pleasantly cool. The dog that Isuzu had found on the sidewalk the day she was freed was being kept at the main house since Kagura's mother was allergic to dogs and couldn't stop sneezing. No one expected the puppy to survive very long, as she was severely undernourished and so infested with fleas that they had literally been draining the life out of her. Melody patiently administered the flea baths until they were all gone and mixed vitamin supplements into the puppy's food. The pink collar bore a silver bone-shaped tag etched with the legend "Squishie" on it. When asked, Melody replied that the dog liked hugs and it was the only thing that came to her. Akito had responded that she would literally become squished if she didn't stay out of the road—he still had a bruise on his shoulder from having to snatch her out of harm's way and go tumbling into the ditch.

Though Isuzu wasn't very far along with her pregnancy, the changes were becoming evident. With Melody and Hatori's help, the morning sickness was limited to maybe one or two bad days a week and she was getting vitamin shots to supplement what she ate. She began to gain some healthy weight and her cheeks weren't so bony and pale anymore. Though Haru kept this to himself, he also noticed that her hips were rounding out as well. She was becoming quite the beautiful woman. Hatori gave them both copies of the ultrasound and pointed out that they could now tell which end was "up" so to speak. Though the fetus had little more than a bulbous head with a dark spot where his eyes would go and a curled tail that would eventually become his spine, it overjoyed them both to see that he'd made some progress. Hatori mentioned that it was now the size of a small grape. Akito would remember that day as the first time Isuzu had hugged him.

But there was trouble brewing in paradise, as always. Melody was not herself—for over two weeks now, she'd been oddly quiet and withdrawn. Though she was kind and her usual sickening optimistic self, it was as if the "colors" in her had been muted. Once in a while, Akito would ask her what was bothering her, but her answers were evasive. Though this irritated him, he had no choice but to wait it out until she was ready to talk. In the meantime, he tried to be patient and continued to take her out twice a week or so for "just them" time. It wasn't until it was Kisa's turn to be freed, however, that he found out.

The day had started off normally enough. Melody was at work with Hatori and Akito was in the garden. Against his better judgment, he volunteered to take care of the little hairball while she was gone. But Squishie kept trying to run off. Out of frustration, Akito stuffed her in the wire cage kennel that they'd gotten after the nearly-road-pizza incident. Once locked in, she looked up at him with those big, dark eyes and whimpered. At first, he didn't think anything of it. Then, she started shrieking. He'd never heard a dog make a sound like that and came back to check on her.

"What? What is your problem?" he asked irritably.

Remembering what Melody had once said about children and dogs being more perceptive than adults, he reluctantly lifted the latch. Squishie bounded out of the cage and scratched at his leg impatiently. Then, she bounded several meters away and then looked over her shoulder. When he didn't seem to get the message, she barked at him impatiently.

"Fine…what do you want?" he asked, annoyed. Her shrill puppy-bark was giving him a headache. Satisfied that he was following her, she went on ahead of him. She led him to the gate, which was open since all the kids would be coming home from school any minute now. An orange blur streaked past and Akito saw a striped tail disappearing under the bushes. Squishie was crouching low to the ground, growling savagely.

"Stop it," he told her firmly. She did, but she still seemed wary.

Akito knelt down next to the bushes and tried to part their branches. Something sharp stung his hand, however, and he yanked it back and hissed. A row of puncture marks, most of them bleeding, had appeared on the back of his hand. A nasty little growl came from where he'd just been poking at.

"Kisa?" he asked cautiously, knowing nothing else he'd ever seen was that specific shade of orange.

Squishie dove into the bushes. There was a high-pitched cry, indicating that she'd been bitten as well. Not giving up easily, however, she drove Kisa out of the bush. Akito pounced on her and threw his arms around her. Kisa had sharp little claws, however, and tore three jagged lines into his yukata. He didn't let go, however, though she was snarling and continuing to draw blood.

"Ouch! Stop! Kisa, it's me, remember?"

Squishie limped out of the bushes, obviously in pain.

"Go get Melody," he instructed the dog, hoping against hope that she understood. Squishie whuffed in response and bounded off towards the clinic.

It was then that he caught sight of Kisa's eyes. They were blood red, not the beautiful amber-brown that they were supposed to be.

"I know you're still in there, Kisa," he said gently, "and we're going to free you. But you have to stay absolutely still."

Forced by the bond to do as he said, she went limp in his arms. He sighed with relief—he had several gashes that he would have to tend to later, but the pain was hardly noticeable due to the adrenaline thundering through his veins. Isuzu's demon had been one of the more difficult ones—stronger and faster than the others. What would Kisa's be like?

Melody appeared at his side.

"Oh," she said quietly. It was all she had to say. Taking her hand in his, they once again leapt over the invisible boundary between reality and Kisa's mind. Both dropped into what looked like a jungle setting. Akito was surprised to see that Melody looked…sick, actually. There were bruise-like circles under her eyes and her face seemed swollen and puffy. Her skin had a grayish tinge to it and she walked with plodding resignation.

"What's going on?" he asked, having never seen her like this.

"Let's just get rid of Kisa's curse first," Melody told him, "I'll explain it when we're done."

That was not a good sign. If she didn't want to tell him beforehand, it meant she was worried that it would distract him. He grabbed her arm and turned her around to face him.

"Tell me," he demanded.

Melody sighed.

"Akito, please…"

"Tell me or we're not going anywhere."

"Akito!"

"Tell me!"

She groaned in frustration.

"Fine. You want to know the truth? You already know part of it—I don't have but six months or so to live. But the 'why' is what I haven't told you and with good reason. I didn't want you to worry."

"I've been worried anyway," he admitted grudgingly. It was hard for him to express his innermost concerns though she was the one he'd done so with the most.

Melody bowed her head.

"We've reached the half-way point here," Melody explained, "with each demon I cast out, it weakens me. The demonic energy can't hurt me in my true form because it's pure. But it's toxic to this human flesh—human flesh that was never meant to contain this much power. It's not a big deal now, but I'm going to get sicker as time goes on. There may even be psychological problems as my brain is affected. There may come points where I'm not exactly myself and all of you will have to be very, very careful."

Though his expression went to the impassive mask he always wore, inside, he was horrified.

"Is that why I haven't had so many porphyria attacks lately?" he asked quietly.

"That's why," Melody confessed.

He hugged her tightly to him.

"I'm going to have to ask something very difficult of you when the time comes," Melody told him then, "by the time I reach yours, this body won't have any fight left in it. I'm going to need you to free me, or at the very least let my armor die. Don't hold on no matter how badly you want to—I have to escape in order to help you."

He stared at her in shock.

"You're asking me to _kill_ you?"

She nodded, her throat constricting.

"Melody, I can't do that!"

"You have to when the time comes," she choked out, "if you really love me as much as you say you do, you won't let all of this be in vain."

He wanted to ask her if she truly understood what this would do to him, but a flurry of animals stampeded past. He grabbed Melody and yanked her undercover just as something barreled past.

"What in the…?" he hissed.

This demon wasn't what he expected. It being Kisa, he had suspected that it would be a tiger or some other enormous and beautiful, but deadly animal. This one was a huntress, however. She was very strikingly beautiful with golden skin and long, flowing dark hair. Her clothes were a mix of primitive tribal accessories and—shockingly—a schoolgirl's uniform. Her eyes were pitch-black with no visible difference between the sclera, the iris, or the pupil.

"Let me guess" Akito whispered, his lips grazing Melody's ear, "one of the girls who picked on her."

"Sort of," Melody answered, "it's a composite of them. Her ideal of perfection."

"So, where's Kisa?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out."

They tailed the huntress demon with some difficulty, as the creature's hearing was so enhanced that she actually glanced their way if either of them breathed too hard. There were a couple of times that they discovered that the demoness was not the only danger to this "jungle of the mind". There were a variety of beautiful animals that proved to be quite dangerous—even the harmless looking little squirrels had fangs and were attacking each other ferociously. Snakes appeared out of seemingly nowhere and snapped at their heads or their ankles.

"Poor Kisa," Akito sighed.

"Yeah…poor Kisa," Melody agreed, "everything inside of her is at war with something else. Hopefully once we get rid of Miss Big Guns over there, she'll get some peace."

She paused.

"Akito…why is Hiro here?"

Akito glanced in the direction she was looking.

"That's not really him, is it?"

"No…but she must have some awfully strong feelings for him to have an image of him in her mind."

Akito sighed, placing both hands over his face for a second.

"She's loved him since they were toddlers," he mumbled.

"And…?"

"And…I interfered…very aggressively…"

"I see," she said softly.

The image of Hiro was trapped by a bunch of panthers. He was in his lamb form trying to climb a very steep ledge to keep the panthers' sharp teeth away from his legs, but he was already bleeding and struggling to get to higher ground. The panthers seemed to be teasing him, biding their time until he was weak enough.

"I'm not proud of the things I've done," Akito sighed, "I'd take all of it back if I could…I was very hard on both of them and I really do regret it."

"Of course," Melody said gently, "because you've changed."

"She's more forgiving of me than the others," Akito admitted, "she still talked to me and tried to help me even though I almost beat her to death. I can't believe she'd do that."

"I can," Melody said with a smile.

They spotted Kisa the cub nearby. Unlike the others who had been trapped in some way, she could move freely, but she was torn between helping Hiro and being attacked by the huntress. Then, the little cub raised her nose to the air and sniffed delicately. She'd caught their scents. Moving soundlessly over the dead leaves, soil, and other terrain, she managed to track both of them down. She was frightened, trembling all over, and bloodied up.

"It's all right," Melody told her, "we're here to help you."

Melody scooped her up and hugged her tightly. She glanced over Melody's shoulder at Akito.

"Yes, I'm here, too," he told her, reaching out a hand to stroke her head. The way she flinched didn't go unnoticed.

"I'm sorry about all this," he told her, "I had no idea you were going through so much…and when your mom came to talk to me, and Hiro, I dismissed it. None of this was ever your fault."

He glanced over at her thought-version of Hiro.

"He loves you, you know. He always has. And I can't blame him. You're one of the sweetest little girls I've ever met. I was jealous—always have been, that others could love and I could not. I should have tried to protect you and help you."

Melody placed Kisa in his arms. Her little furry body stiffened at first, but then relaxed.

"You're both growing up so fast," he told her, "both of you are starting middle school now and you'll get to have all those experiences that I didn't get. I hope I can make it better for you from now on. I know you've had to do without your dad just like I did, but you won't be without friends ever again. And I want to thank you that day for braving my temper to tell me the truth about Melody."

She licked him on the cheek.

"Now, what do we have to do to get you both out of here?"

"First, Kisa has to ask for Father's help," Melody said, "then, we all confront that trigger-happy thing out there together."

Kisa had never been good at asking for help. It was something she'd struggled with all her life and probably would continue to, but she was no longer alone. Judging by all the other stories that she'd heard from the others, she was sure that the mysterious Father would help her as well. The guilt told her that this was all her fault, but she knew better: she'd never asked for any of this to happen. She'd never asked to be born with the spirit of a tiger. She'd never asked to love a boy who was a lamb. She'd never asked to be mistreated because she was beautiful in an unconventional way. But she wasn't going to let anyone else walk on her ever again.

There was a bright flash of light and the little tiger cub transformed into a full-grown tigress. No longer scared, she leapt at the panthers and fought them off. Melody and Akito, forgetting that they were hiding from the huntress, cheered her on. The woman leveled her gun at both of them, but Kisa slammed into her, the gleaming curved fangs at her throat.

"You can't hurt me! So what if you're suddenly big?" she said teasingly.

Kisa clamped down on her throat and preceded to shake her like a rag-doll. The other animals were coming, attracted to the noise. Beautiful and terrible, they joined in the fray. Melody and Akito had their hands full trying to keep them off, but they were holding their own.

Then…

A roar split the skies. A white dragon, whiter than anything they'd ever seen, swooped down from the clouds. He exhaled a jet of flames, scaring off the lesser animals. Now surrounded in a ring of white fire, Akito, Melody, and Kisa were safe. The dragon landed, many, many times bigger than all of them. This white dragon was different than Hatori's—on closer inspection, he had faint blue stripes on his back and neck. His eyes, as inhuman as they looked with their vertical pupils and blue irises with the green ring in the middle, had a very obvious intelligence.

"How many different things does he turn into?" Akito asked with a smile.

"More than I've counted," Melody answered.

Kisa let go of the huntress woman to look at the enormous dragon. Just as the woman was about to club her over the head with the gun, the dragon lunged forward and scooped her up. As easily as if she'd been a drop of water, he swallowed her whole. The scenery of the jungle began transforming around then as the dragon roared yet again—the dark skies became clear, the dead plants came back to life, and the animals became peaceful. Kisa and Father touched muzzles before they were sent home in a flash of light.

Kisa lay curled up in a ball in the grass. Her cheeks flamed when she realized she was human again and didn't have any clothes on. Akito made sure to keep his gaze averted while he gave her the outer part of his yukata. She quickly thrust her arms into the sleeves.

"Thank you," she said timidly.

The others were coming from the house now. Kisa was grateful that she was covered up.

"What happened?" Hatori asked, concerned.

"I'm free," Kisa whispered.

At the edge of the growing crowd was her mother. She hugged Kisa tightly to her chest.

"The school called and I was so worried! What happened?"

"I…I don't remember," Kisa admitted, "I felt kind of sick and then I just couldn't stay there anymore…I turned into the tiger and then I woke up here. My curse is gone, though!"

She noticed Hiro entering the gate. He glanced from her to the crowd to Melody and Akito and back to her.

"Good…you're okay…" he muttered awkwardly.

She ran to him and threw her arms around him.

POOF!

"Oops…" she giggled, "sorry, Hiro…I forgot…"

The annoyed-looking lamb squirmed helplessly in her grasp. She kissed him right on the cheek causing the crowd to "awww" unanimously.

"Would all of you mind giving us a minute? You can celebrate with Kisa later," Akito spoke up. Everyone else streamed back into the house. Hiro managed to untangle himself and started to clop away, but Akito placed his hand on his back.

"Not you," he said firmly, "I want you to hear this, too."

Hiro kicked a rock with his rear hoof, but he reluctantly turned around and plopped into the grass next to Kisa.

"Melody?"

Melody called Squishie and gave him an encouraging smile before going back to the house.

"I've had a lot of apologies to make in the last few weeks," Akito finally said, kneeling next to Hiro, "but I haven't gotten around to yours yet. I truly am sorry for what I did to both of you. No one deserves to be punished for their feelings. I made Kisa endure so much by herself, something she wasn't strong enough to deal with. And I kept you from helping and I shouldn't have. If there was any interference to be made, it should have been on her behalf. From now on, I want to help you both in any way I can. And someday, I hope you can forgive me. I think you're very brave for going through all that you have even if I've never told you before."

Hiro's dark eyes glared mistrustfully into his.

"I want the two of you to be together if that's what you want," Akito told him, "just don't grow up too fast—you've got so much time ahead of you…you have childhood, something I never had much of. Don't waste it."

Feeling drained, he headed back to the main house.

POOF!

Kisa turned her back while he quickly got dressed, using the wall for cover from anyone who might happen to drive by.

"Go get some clothes on," he said curtly to Kisa, "it's too weird seeing you in his yukata like that."

"All right," she said quietly, heading for the house.

"Kisa?"

She turned around.

"I'm glad you're okay," he said quietly.

She smiled and he did, too.

Hiro would not trust Akito completely for a very long time, but it was a start. He watched Kisa heading back towards the house, her back straight and her shoulders strong instead of hunched over. Though it wouldn't stop mean girls from teasing her or bullying her, it was definitely a start and she'd never have to endure all that on her own. And now, he mused, he could protect her the way he'd wanted to all along.


	31. Chapter 31

For some reason he couldn't explain clearly, he had woken up. Akito's dark blue-gray eyes darted from corner to corner of the dark room trying to figure out what was going on. He felt a cold sheen of sweat coating his skin and his black pinstriped pajamas were soaked with it. Clutching at his fragile heart, he looked around the room once more. Nothing was visible, but that didn't always mean the coast was clear. Breathing raggedly, he tried to figure out what had happened. Was it a nightmare? If it had been, he couldn't remember it. Growling in frustration, Akito leaned until his cheek touched the wall. He hadn't been sleeping well at all these last few days. The more he avoided the subject, the worse things seemed to be getting. He was still in a turmoil over the terrible things Melody had said while they were inside of Kisa's mind.

_Free her…not kill, free her,_ he thought irritably, _it's all the same in the end. How could she ask that of me? Doesn't she know how hard it's going to be? I can't do that…_

He pressed his hands to his face. Even before he'd met her, he may have been a complete bastard to the others. He may have been egocentric, selfish, and abusive, but he was not a murderer. Even when he'd thrown the knife at his own mother, he hadn't been truly trying to kill her. Now that he loved her this much, it was impossible.

"Tough, isn't it?" a voice asked from the darkness. Akito nearly jumped out of his skin.

"Who's there?!" he asked defensively.

"Just someone who wants to help, that's all."

"Show yourself right now or I'll wake this whole house up!"

A man seemed to materialize out of the moonbeams. He held up his hands.

"No need to panic," he said hastily, "I only wanted to help you."

Akito fumbled for the lamp switch and turned it on. The darkness dissipated at once, fleeing from the weak yellow beacon of the incandescent bulb under the parchment-colored shade. The man's indistinct figure came into sharp focus. He was taller than Akito by roughly a head. He had jaw-length strawberry blonde hair that was almost the same color as fire. Like Melody's eyes, his were green as well, though they were so pale that the color was hardly visible. His skin was what everyone considered to be the perfect golden-tan color and his body was long, thin and fit like an athlete's. More unsettling, he wore no shirt, which made Akito somewhat uncomfortable.

"Who are you?" he asked uneasily.

"Just a friend of Melody's," the red-haired man said, "a very, very old friend. See?"

He turned and showed Akito his back. Just like Melody, he bore two ridges that suggested he'd once had wings as well. Appearing to have made his point, there was a shimmer around his upper body and a white T-shirt appeared.

"Another angel?" Akito was confused.

"Yes."

Sensing that Akito wasn't going to freak out or yell or otherwise give him away, the angel sat down in Akito's desk chair and scooted it closer to the bed.

"I'm sorry if I frightened you," he said sheepishly, "I meant to show myself in your dreams, but that didn't quite work out."

"It's been a rough couple of nights," Akito confessed.

"Yes…I've heard from Father about that little incident. The poor girl wants you to kill off her flesh so that she can be stronger. Quite a conundrum…"

Akito fidgeted with the hem of his sheet.

"I don't know what to do," he admitted "I…I want her to be happy, but killing her? That's…."

"…a lot to ask," the angel finished for him.

"Yes," Akito agreed, "I don't think I can do it."

The angel gave him a reassuring smile.

"What if I told you that there's another way? That you don't have to worry about her dying or killing her?"

"If there was another way, wouldn't she have said something?"

"No. Not necessarily. You see, she's the type to go very by-the-book. She's been one of Father's lapdogs for quite some time. Not all of us are so disposed to following rules. Have you ever heard the saying 'it's better to ask for forgiveness than permission'?"

There was something else going on, but Akito was still half-asleep and couldn't put his finger on it.

"Would you just tell me how?" he asked impatiently.

"All right," the angel gave in, "you want to keep her alive, right? So that after all this crap is over, you both go on with your merry little lives and get married and have babies and so forth…all I'm asking is for one thing in return. Don't kill her. Don't do what she wants for a change—all this time she thought she knew best. She's been telling you what you should do, right? Don't do it. Just once. Disobey her. She may be a little angry at you for it at first, but she'll forgive you quickly enough because she gets to stay with you."

Akito stared.

"Sounds too good to be true, right? There's really no catch at all. Both of you get what you want and I get what I want."

"Which is?" he asked suspiciously.

"Listen, the guy that's in you right now—the one that's going to full-blown possess you after all the others are freed—he is a very nasty piece of work. It's because of him that…that I lost everything. That's why I'm here without my pretty little white wings and halo and so forth. I have a very personal score to settle with him and I want to handle it. All of you will just get in the way and probably either end up hurt or killed in the process. Sit back, do nothing, and enjoy the show with your little girlfriend by your side and then you all go home and clean up the mess together."

"You would do that? For us?" Akito asked, stunned.

"Of course. I'm an angel. It's our job to take the heat that the mortals couldn't handle. And that poor girl is getting more and more human every day."

"I can't wait to tell her—"

"Hold it," the angel placed his hand on Akito's shoulder and pushed him back down, "she can't know about this. She can't hear anything about it, not a word, understand? You know how she is. She'll fight you. You don't want that."

Akito sighed.

"All right, I won't tell her."

The angel winked at him.

"It'll be the best secret you've ever kept. Now…I've got to go. Some…preparations…must be made before that time. Not to mention you look like you need some more sleep."

"Thank you," Akito said gratefully. The man seemed to dissolve into thin air. He switched off the light and rolled over.

_Some people go their entire lives without ever seeing angels and I know two of them…_he thought. Then, he realized he hadn't caught the red-haired angel's name. Oh well…did it really matter? They'd probably see each other again before long. Filled with hopefulness, Akito let his eyes slide closed. There would be work to do tomorrow. Something rattled in his ear, though, and he sat up to find that he'd lain on a scrap of paper.

"What the?"

He switched the lamp back on. Often, he was careless about leaving things on his desk, but he wondered how one little bit of paper could have blown so far. He un-crumpled it only to discover that it wasn't even his handwriting:

_1 John 4:1_

_Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world._

He stared at for a second, then placed it on the night table. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned off the light and went to sleep.

The next morning, Akito was awake before anyone else was. He picked the phone up and tapped the number into it even before he bothered to dress. It rang about three times before someone picked up.

"Akito?" Shigure sounded surprised, "is anything wrong? You're up awfully early."

He yawned noisily and Akito rolled his eyes. What a drama queen.

"Nothing's wrong, Shigure. Is Tohru around?"

"She's getting ready for school—why?"

"I need to ask her…a favor."

"What kind of favor?"

"You'll find out soon enough."

Tohru must have come downstairs then, because he heard her voice in the background. Shigure handed the phone to her.

"Good morning, Akito-sama. What can I do for you?"

"Just Akito," he murmured, "are you busy after school?"

"No," she said, surprised, "why?"

"I need your help with something. I don't know as much about girls as, say, Shigure, so I need another's opinion. I'll tell you what we're doing later, but it has to be a secret. I'll come and pick you up myself, all right?"

"All right," Tohru said, still sounding confused, "I'll be outside around three."

Kyo said something in the background—it sounded like "we have to go."

"Thank you. Go on now. I don't want you to be late."

"See you later, Akito-s…'just Akito'," she giggled.

At first, Akito wasn't sure why he had asked Tohru. He could have asked Isuzu or Kagura or Kisa or even Kana to help him, but Tohru had been the first one he'd thought of. Maybe it was because she and Melody were so much alike…he never once dreamed he'd be asking her for a favor. That day that she'd managed to get to him the first time—in fact, the day before Melody had revealed herself to him, he'd been so angry. She'd gotten under his skin and that had only been the beginning.

Akito ventured out into the gardens. He now had something else to do—something that would prove a little more difficult than asking favors from a chronic doormat.

"I know you're out here," Akito sighed, "Melody says you always are. I hear her talk to you sometimes. I…I want to ask you something. It's a little strange talking to open air with no one else. I'm still not really used to it."

He heard footsteps behind him and would have jumped out of his skin if he hadn't felt Father's presence first.

"Not many people are," Father replied.

It was the first time Akito had seen him in his human form in the broad daylight. His wavy hair shone different colors depending on where the sun was hitting it—one strand was blonde, another right next to it was black, another was red, and so forth. Akito could actually see the different blending of races in this form that he chose.

"If you know our thoughts the way she says, you know what I'm going to ask, then," Akito said uncertainly.

"You want to marry her."

He nodded.

Father smiled a bittersweet smile. It didn't touch the sadness in his eyes, but it was no less beautiful.

"I must say that speaks volumes about how far you've come," Father said warmly, "not many men in your position would choose to invest so much on a relationship that would be so short. So many of them don't know how much time they have and they still won't do it out of fear or selfishness for themselves."

"She's gone through so much," Akito answered, "I want to make her happy."

"I know you do. I know you've come to care for her a great deal. Her light drew you close even when you couldn't see it."

"I know she'd never agree to this unless you said it was okay," Akito said uneasily, "I wanted to make sure…not just because of that, but because it's what you really wanted."

It was hard for him to say, but he was glad to say it. Akito wasn't in charge anymore. He had never truly been in charge. And he wasn't made to be "god". He was just a man—a man who had fallen in love. He was a man who wanted some direction in his life.

"You feel that, don't you? The bonds of your curse are weakening as we speak," Father said, "that was the first step—admitting you don't control everything and being all right with it."

He was surprised when Father hugged him. Tightly.

"You may marry my Melody," he said in Akito's ear, "but be very careful with her. The worst is yet to come and she's going to need you to be strong for her. And don't trust everyone who says I sent them—make sure you know without a shadow of a doubt. There will be others to come and try to fool you both. I don't want either of you getting hurt."

"Thank you, Father," Akito said warmly, "by the way—that dragon form was really cool."

Father grinned.

"Would you believe one of my sons wrote a whole series of books on that dragon? He saw it once in a dream. He's quite fond of that form. Check the store side of 'Cup of Heaven' next time you take Melody there if you want to read it."

Akito couldn't help but laugh.

"You've been there?"

"I've been everywhere. And I enjoy Dawn's cooking as much as the next person. She came to know me when she was nineteen years old and I've been a frequent visitor since then. She refers to me as 'The Big Man Upstairs'."

They shared a laugh. Akito was trying to imagine Father sipping an espresso with some fiction novel in his hand. Strangely, it wasn't as far-fetched of a concept as it once was.

"You probably have more names and faces than there are stars in the sky," Akito pointed out.

"That's true as well," Father answered, "I only wish that some of my more…impatient…children…would realize that 'Dammit' is not my last name."

Akito cracked up.

"Well, I have some other matters to attend to," Father said, "but I'm always around. I always hear you all when you talk to me. Enjoy this day and don't be afraid."

Akito hugged him one last time. Father disappeared in a flash of light.

Melody had told him stories of days when humans walked side by side with Father in the garden of Eden. Had this been what it was like? To speak one's mind easily and be able to get clear answers instead of just muddling along and trying to figure it out? If so, it must have been wonderful. He felt very warm inside, as if there were a candle burning under his skin. It was funny how _alive_ these visits made him feel.

Melody, still in her flowered granny gown, slid her door open and let Squishie outside. She bark-sang to Akito and bounded over to him, tail wagging so fast it was a blur, before wandering off to presumably water the grass. Melody smiled and waved. She wished she'd had time to get dressed before he'd seen her, but it didn't really matter—at least she was covered up, right? He noticed that she looked exhausted.

"Is everything all right?" he asked, concerned.

"Rough night…" she answered, resting her head on his shoulder, "…Squishie heard something or smelled something that scared her, so she was barking and growling and throwing a big fit. I had this sense that something was off myself, but I couldn't figure out what was going on. When I checked on you, you were fine. None of the others woke up despite Squishie making such a racket. It just chilled me."

Strange…

"I'm sorry about that," he said, rubbing her back in small circles, "you should go back in and try to sleep more."

"No, I can't. I have to work today. Besides, I don't really like sleeping when it's light out."

She shrugged.

"It just gives me an excuse to drink more coffee, right?"

"How this doesn't mess you up, I will never know."

Melody chuckled.

"The good thing is that when you know how short your time is, you don't worry about things like that."

Even haggard-looking as she was with her swollen, red puffy eyes and blue-black curls sticking out every which way and that atrocious gown she was wearing, Melody still made a lovely picture with the shoji door as the backdrop. He kissed her, pulling her in closer. As Squishie was preoccupied with chasing a squirrel, they went uninterrupted. He felt her breath catch and was grinning inwardly. One hand pressed in on her back, the other tangled in her hair. He'd inched her back until she was flattened against the wall. Something flared to life in the lower region of his gut, something he didn't know existed. It was as if his blood had caught fire and was now concentrating in his lower abdomen.

"You're so beautiful, you know that? Even in this ridiculous thing," he said huskily. His fingertips traced her collarbone beneath the soft cotton material. A tremor raced through her frame. Her heartbeat sounded as loud in her ears as a canon. What on earth was going on?!

He pressed a kiss into her jaw, then into her neck. At that point, Squishie came pounding in and barked at him for touching his master.

"Oh, look, it's the little pain in the butt," Akito mused, scooping her up, "what if, Squishie, the next time you're taking a nap or the next time you're chasing a ball, I come over to you and start scratching your leg, hmmm?"

Melody laughed awkwardly, still trying to recover from the earlier moment's intensity. She sagged into her chair wondering why her legs felt so weak. There was no real venom or irritation in Akito's tone. He scratched Squishie behind the ears before placing her back in the floor.

"Tonight," he whispered in her ear, "you and me and no hairy little distractions. Got it?"  
She nodded, wondering how his breath on her ear was giving her chill bumps. Before he left, he kissed her again, though this one was much more chaste. Her hands shook as she closed the door to the gardens and changed clothes.

Tohru got into the passenger side of the small black car.

"Now may I ask where we're going?" she asked timidly, fastening her seatbelt.

"You just did," he pointed out, "and you're going to help me pick out a present for Melody."

Tohru was uneasy at first, but then she started talking and talking and talking. Akito had said probably fewer than three words after answering her question. Normally, this would have driven him crazy, but he didn't particularly mind today. Listening to all of her silly little stories kept him from jumping out of his skin from nerves. It was unfortunate that the only jewelry store in town was inside a crowded mall and he truly despised crowds. Even before they entered the building, he felt his chest tightening from the social claustrophobia. Thankfully, the store wasn't far from the exit.

Suddenly, it dawned on Tohru what they were there for.

"You're going to buy her a ring!" she exclaimed.

"Yes, keep your voice down," Akito hissed, "I don't want them all staring at us."

"Right…sorry…" she said sheepishly.

They studied the rings in the cases. Some were too gaudy. Tohru pointed out that Melody was much more likely to choose something simpler. Akito wanted to find something that would stand out, that was different like her. It took them ages to find the right one. Since Melody and Tohru had nearly the same size hands, Tohru was the one who tried the rings on. This made for a very awkward and hilarious conversation with the man behind the counter.

"I think I may have something special for you in the back if you'll just excuse me for a second," he told them, "the type of different you may be looking for."

He brought out a dark green velvet box—as if that wasn't enough of a sign—and flicked it open.

The ring was sitting against a black interior, which made the silver and the diamond shine all the more brilliantly. The setting was done so that the silver looked like flower petals. The diamond was in the middle, the tiny silver petals throwing light on the diamond from every direction. It was small, so they had to look closely to see the details, but it was unlike any other ring they'd ever seen. The rose-shape would remind Melody of the gardens that she loved so much.

"This one," they both agreed unanimously.

He was much more relaxed on the drive home, actually telling Tohru what it was he planned to do that evening.

"I had no idea you could be so romantic," she gushed.

"Only for her," Akito reminded Tohru.

"I suppose anyone can for the right person," Tohru said, her cheeks turning pink, "I'm very glad you found someone to spend your life with. You seemed so lonely before."

He didn't answer, but he knew he had been. Waking up, taking medicines that never seemed to truly help, eating food he had no interest in, stalking around the house or the gardens, being forced to stay in bed for a long time. It wasn't much of a life. Sure, there had been school and his studies, but that was only for a short time. He'd graduated two years early. The only one other thing he'd been able to do was to live vicariously through the others and remind them all who was still in charge.

A musical tone chimed from Tohru's bag. She retrieved her phone and flipped it open.

"It's Kyo," she informed him, "he's probably wondering what's keeping me."

"Don't worry him," Akito said, "just don't mention that Melody's present is the ring. I don't want any chance of this leaking out, not that I see him as the type to spread it."

Tohru answered the phone in her annoyingly sweet and cheerful way. Akito was preoccupied enough with his own thoughts that he didn't really notice her sugary voice and tendency to stutter when she was being overwhelmingly polite or apologetic. He was just thankful that Ritsu wasn't behaving like that anymore. He glanced at the tiny shopping bag on the immaculately clean seat between them and smiled. There were so many good things to come…he wondered how he'd managed to give up just like that. He never believed that someone like him would find love, but there it was. Now that Melody wasn't right here, he could think about things more intently and not worry about her reading his emotions or his memories. That kiss this morning…he'd overheard others talking about it. He'd done his share of spying on the others and seen couples necking in the shadows before. That was how he'd actually found out about Hatsuharu and Isuzu. But he'd never really understood it before. He'd seen it all played out in movies, but didn't really know what was going on. He didn't understand the catching breath just before it grew ragged or the heated glances or anything like that until now. Living such a sheltered life had walled him off from what was a very big part of life. First, he had sought only comfort from Melody's touch. Now, he craved something much more intense. He remembered the day that she'd answered the door in nothing but a towel.

"Akito!" Tohru's alarmed voice snapped him out of his reverie.

"What?!" he asked, annoyed. She'd scared him.

"You're…you're bleeding," she stuttered.

DRIP!

He ran his hand over the bridge between his nose and upper lip to find a dark red smear.

"Is that all? Don't scream unless we're about to hit something," Akito scolded her.

Her eyes were wide.

"I'm sorry, it's just…well…I worry sometimes…"

She dug through her school bag and removed a lot of random items that were a complete mystery as to what they were doing in there: a hairbrush, a cat-shaped keychain, a toothbrush, and finally, a small packet of tissue. He took one and sponged away the blood.

"Thank you," he muttered, wondering what on earth had brought this on in the first place.

"So…where are you going to ask her?"

He had been so wrapped up in imagining what Melody looked like under that towel that he hadn't noticed that she'd been off the phone for a while.

"Probably at the coffee place. She loves it there."

"That's so sweet! I can't wait to help her with the wedding!" Tohru exclaimed.

"What makes you think she'll accept?" he asked quietly.

Tohru beamed.

"It's the way she talks about you," she answered, "and the way she looks at you. Everything. Was there really any doubt?"

No, he supposed. Melody always saw him differently than the others did.

"Thank you for helping me," Akito said quietly as he pulled into the driveway at Shigure's.

"Aren't you going to come in for a little while?" Tohru asked.

"I would," he answered, "but I have to get this ring home before Melody finds it."

"Oh, all right! Let us know how it goes!"

Tohru closed the door. Akito allowed himself to slump a little out of sheer relief. He was glad Tohru hadn't figured it out.

"I really wish my imagination wasn't so vivid…" he muttered, putting the car in reverse. He was much more careful on the way home, as there was no Tohru to keep him from getting in a wreck. No wonder men tended to turn into fools at times…these new feelings were kind of a pain. They were, at best, a very big distraction. It was like having the rush from an angry outburst, but pleasant, almost.

He switched on the radio and heard a song Melody listened to quite often. Since no one was around, he drummed his hands on the wheel and the console and sang along with the trashy little pop tune. The singer here was nowhere as good as Melody, but that was to be expected. The trip home hardly took any time at all, or so it seemed. The smug little grin he always had when he was up to something was very noticeable.

"He's up to something," he heard one of the maids whisper.

An hour later, he and Melody were seated across from each other at Cup of Heaven. Both of them had just finished their dinners, though it was hard for him to eat with all the butterflies in his gut. He'd never been so nervous in his life, but having grown up under the circumstances he had he was very good at masking it. Toying with the cup-shaped light, he clicked it off and on a few times before putting it back.

"Is everything all right? You've been kind of quiet today," Melody remarked, "even more than usual. And you've been fidgeting with everything."

"Fine," he said coolly.

The beginning notes of the song sounded. Trying not to bang into anything or knock anything over, Akito motioned for her to follow him to the dance floor. Dawn had seen him fidgeting with the cup light—it was actually a signal though Melody did not know about it.

"I hear a voice in my mind

I know her face by heart

heaven and earth are moving in my soul

I don't know where to start,"

Akito pulled her into his embrace. Continuing to do some very un-Akito-ish things, he was singing very quietly into her ear where only she could hear him. Dawn and Alex were singing this song together. As usual, the dance floor was packed.

"tell me, tell me, the words to define

the way I feel about someone so fine

how do you talk to an angel

how do you hold her close to where you are

how do you talk to an angel

it's like trying to catch a falling star…."

He steered her closer to the stage.

"at night i dream that she is there

and I can feel her in the air

tell me, tell me, the words to define

the way I feel about someone so fine

how do you talk to an angel

how do you hold her close to where you are

how do you talk to an angel

it's like trying to catch a falling star…"

Now everyone was looking, as the music had gone very soft. Akito wasn't sure if he was going to pass out, throw up, or scream. Thankfully, he did none of those things. Easing down on his knee as carefully as he could, he fumbled the box out of his pocket and flipped it open. It took her a second to realize what was happening and a burst of cheers came from the crowd. Alex held his microphone out to where it was only an inch from his mouth.

_Come on…just four words, that's all you've got to ask…_he pushed himself inside.

"Will you marry me?" he choked out.

Melody let out a joyous shriek and noisy applause thundered through the café. Much to Akito's shock, every single one of the Zodiac members plus Kana and Tohru had wormed their way through the crowd. He gave Tohru a Look, but she just grinned and shrugged with her palms out as if to say "well, what could I do?" The music picked back up, this time everyone on the dance floor joining in though only a fraction of them knew the real significance of this song.

"how do you talk to an angel

how do you hold her close to where you are

how do you talk to an angel

it's like trying to catch a falling star

how do you talk to an angel

how do you hold her close to where you are

how do you talk to an angel

it's like trying to catch a falling star…."

"Tiramisu for everyone on me!" Akito yelled. This earned even more cheers and claps. The waitresses hurried into the kitchen to get it. Blinding flashes came from digital cameras and at least a hundred different media devices had captured the moment when they all realized what he'd meant to do. For once, Akito didn't mind being in the spotlight as long as he had Melody with him. At one point, feeling quite drunk on the sheer joy of what he had accomplished, he took Alex's microphone and willingly sang through a couple of choruses. Then, he was happy to let the other couple take over so he could dance with her now that his nerves were gone.


	32. Chapter 32

It was a cold and foggy night. After the very late celebration of Akito and Melody's engagement, Dawn and Alex had kept Cup of Heaven open until the wee hours of the morning. After everyone had straggled out, Melody cuddled next to Akito in the car. He wrapped one arm around her and drove. It was very peaceful all alone in the car and he felt more contented than he could remember. The diamond in her ring glinted in the scant lights coming from the console. He was pretty sure she'd fallen asleep after a few minutes, leaving him alone with his thoughts. Unlike the little lust attack he'd had earlier, this time his thoughts drifted to that red-haired angel that had come. If Melody sensed her own kind, surely she wouldn't have been frightened, right? And surely an innocent and primitive mind like a dog's would know an emissary of God? He wasn't sure how he felt about him now.

_Everyone seems to be warning me about him…and he wouldn't tell me what his name was…_

Akito was hyper-aware of the soft rising and falling of Melody's side against his hand. He knew he couldn't fight any demons without her help, but what if instead of getting her involved at all that he faced his own himself? He didn't know the exact mechanics of fighting one by himself, but maybe it would count for something. Maybe she wouldn't have to die and he wouldn't have to sit back and do nothing.

_That's still a ways off…_he thought, _I have to stop obsessing over it. There's here and now and she's going to be my wife. I have to make this good for her…_

He then realized the significance of what they were going to do. She was going to take his last name—for now, he wasn't even certain she had one. She would carry his name for the rest of her days and the whole world would know she was his. Every night, they would cuddle up together like this and every morning, the first thing they would see was each other. He smiled contentedly. _This_ was living. He remembered the conversation that had taken place between himself and Tohru that day he'd almost attacked her. "You call this living?!" he had asked, outraged and shocked. Both of them were right…he hadn't truly been making the most of his time at all. In the last few months, he'd been out to eat, been to parks (Melody had volunteered to watch some kids one afternoon and he'd reluctantly joined her), museums, and even a college campus. While he still didn't know what he wanted to study, he'd been in a university classroom and had, for once, been a normal man. He had actually learned to enjoy being out of the house and was spending more and more time away from it. And there were still a lot of adventures to be had…

Suddenly, another car swerved into their path. Akito was forced to brake violently to keep from slamming into it. Shaking and sweating, he said some things he later wished he hadn't. Melody woke with a start, pale and frightened.

"Akito? What happened?" she asked, looking ghostlike in the dark. Only his arm around her had kept her from pitching forward.

"The car ahead of us," Akito growled, "what does this person think they're doing?!"

The car shot into reverse. Akito turned hard and got their car out of harm's way, but it bumped violently and got stuck in the ditch.

"I've seen that car somewhere…where have I seen it…" Akito muttered, trying to back up.

"That's Haru's car…" Melody said, quivering.

"Don't tell me…" Akito sighed.

"Black Haru," Melody confirmed.

"What do we do? If we get out, we're vulnerable. But in here, we're sitting ducks," Akito sighed.

"He'll get out," Melody said, "even a demon won't risk getting the car stuck. He'll only use the car if he lures us out of the ditch. We need to tell the others to stay off this road."

He took his cell phone out and called them. While he was telling Hatori to pass the message on, Melody heard the car door slam just a few feet away.

"He's coming," she warned Akito.

"All right. Stay with me," he said, not wanting to admit that he was badly shaken up.

"Of course."

Haru's silhouette appeared out of the fog. It was getting very cold out here…Akito dearly wished they could get the car unstuck so that he could turn the heater back on. Though he'd gained a few healthy pounds, he was still sensitive to cold. He should be used to things like this happening, but he wasn't.

"Hatori's going to call them," he told Melody, "he knows we're going to be busy in a second. What do we do?"

"Let him come to us," she said, "but we have to get out. We won't get anything done by just sitting here."

"I hope Isuzu's all right…" Akito sighed. She'd been in the car with Haru.

"We've got to take care of him first," Melody said reluctantly, "or she'll still be in danger."

They both got out at the same time. Haru had been standing there just a second ago, but he was gone now. Akito's blood was chilled—he hated it when he wasn't sure about something.

"Where did he go?"

Suddenly, something struck him hard. Akito went down in the bed of dried leaves. His nose smacked hard into the ground. Blood trickled out from there and from a cut in his lip. Melody screamed. Something hit him in the back and he struggled to try and get to his feet. The sound of a struggle ensued behind him and Akito caught a flash of something silver. Now he was angry as well as scared. Giving poor Haru a punch in the gut, he managed to knock the knife out of his hand. Blood shone on Melody's shoulder and his own stomach churned. He felt adrenaline surging into his veins and twisted Haru around before slamming him into the hood of the car.

"You bastard! You'll pay for hurting her!"

Akito was about a muscle twitch from slamming Haru's head into the car, but Melody stopped him.

"Don't! It's not really him, remember? You could kill him!"

The look on his face terrified her. She'd never seen him this furious.

"Fine! Let's just kick him out and be done with it before I do end up killing him!"

The fog seemed to thicken around them before they entered what looked like a dungeon. There was very little light to go by and the shadows all seemed alive as they writhed with the candle flames.

"I have a theory…" Melody began.

"Black Haru _is_ the demon?" Akito guessed.

"How did you know I was going to say that?" she asked, stunned.

"I've heard the stories from Hatori after he's had to patch him up and go erase people's memories," Akito replied, "I made him tell me everything so I could help with the damage control. I've also had Haru himself try to attack me before—it ended very badly for him to say the least. He found out about Isuzu and was out for blood. I don't really blame him, in retrospect. I saw it for myself. He accused me of all sorts of things I never did—at one point, he'd tried to grab me by the throat and ask if I'd touched her in _that_ way."

He shuddered.

"Thankfully, that was a no," Melody said gently. Akito cringed, still not used to her being able to see into his memories.

"Of course not," he said, taking a torch from the wall, "you're the only one I've ever thought about…"

He stopped abruptly, realizing what he'd been about to say. In the dark, Melody's blood rushed to her cheeks, both very flattered and embarrassed.

"Anyway," he cleared his throat awkwardly, "how do we know where we're going? This place is a freaking maze!"

They'd emerged into a chamber with many different doors.

"Close your eyes for a second and listen to what your gut is telling you," she told him, "your bond with them allows you intuition as to what they would do and where they would go, right? Use it this time for good. Let it lead you."

He studied the doors for a moment, examining them very carefully. Each one looked identical to the next.

"This is part of the test, isn't it? I have to pick the right door," Akito thought out loud.

"Yes."

"What if I pick the wrong one?"

"I don't really know," Melody confessed, "this is his mind, not mine."

Akito saw a total of four doors. He chose the second one to the left, but there was only darkness.

"I can't see a thing even with the torch," he muttered, "Melody, by any chance can you do something about this?"

"I can try."

He saw a blue spark run down her arm. She held her hand up, forcing a sphere of blue light out of her palm. Even with her help, the gloom was all but impenetrable.

"Well, it can't be helped," he sighed, "come on."

They stepped forward—there was a moment of surprise when the seemingly solid floor wasn't.

"Yuck!" Melody groaned. There was a black tar-like substance that was nearly knee deep. Akito shuddered with disgust as it soaked through his shoes and pants.

"What is this stuff?" he asked her.

"I don't know," she answered, "but we ought to walk carefully. We could end up sinking and drown."

"But this is Haru's mind, right? It's not real?" he asked.

"That doesn't mean it can't hurt us," Melody answered, wading carefully through the muck, "it's real to him and we're in his mind. Everything he thinks, feels, his perception of us…it all affects us right now. And the demon, I'm sure, is going to take advantage of it."

She let out a squeal of surprise and sank abruptly. Akito seized her by the arm and tried to haul her out of the quagmire, but he couldn't do it. The stuff was too sticky.

"There's empty air underneath," Melody informed him, ceasing to struggle, "if we hold our breaths long enough, we'll drop right through."

"What will we land in?" he asked reluctantly.

"I can't tell, but I just have this feeling…"

"Fine. Let's go."

He had to surrender his grip on the torch, but it wasn't doing a lot of good anyway. Holding tightly to Melody, they both sucked in a lungful of air at the same time and sank through the muck. After it was getting painful to not breathe and his heart rate had easily doubled, they finally squelched through the bottom layer of the tarry stuff and emerged into open air. For a few terrible moments, there was nothing to hold onto but each other. They fell through pitch-blackness and landed with a splash in some kind of pool.

"Glad that's over," Melody said shakily.

"Yeah…let's get out of here."

"OUCH!" she yelped.

"What?!" he asked, concerned.

"Something bit me! OW! Come on!"

He was about to ask what it was, but something chomped into his leg as well. Saying something he shouldn't have, he grabbed Melody's arm and they waded through the water until they reached the edge of the pool. He couldn't tell what it was that was ripping into his skin other than that it was slimy and had some very sharp teeth. Tearing it loose, he chucked it away. Since it was still pitch-black, he didn't see where it landed but it hit something hard with a satisfying squashy thud.

"Good riddance," he muttered, pressing his hand to where a warm trickle of blood came out.

"Let me fix it," Melody said, "put my hand over it."

A faint light glowed in the dark for a second as she sealed the wound shut.

"There," she said, satisfied.

"I think I hate this place worse than any of the rest," he told her darkly, "I've always hated the dark. That was…that was what Ren said would happen to me once I died. I'd wander through the darkness forever and be completely on my own."

Melody hugged him sympathetically.

"But now you know different," Melody told him, "even though there will be darkness sometimes and you can't see me, I'm here with you. And so is Father. And you'll have light inside you forever."

Akito tried to imagine what she'd told him of Heaven. No more night, no more shadows, no more darkness. He tried to hold onto that image. There was light inside Haru as well, he knew. Haru was willing to go to so much trouble to protect Isuzu, Kisa, and Hiro. This darkness wasn't all there was to him. There must be light here as well…

Suddenly, a reddish glow swept over him, glowing as if it came from under his skin. It was very, very faint at first, but it grew brighter. Melody's glow, of course, was that electrical blue.

"How did you do that?" she asked, stunned.

"It's the way you think," he said, "I'm surprised you didn't do it first. I got to thinking about all your analogies of darkness and light and how I knew for a fact there wasn't only darkness inside him. Then this glow happened."

It occurred to him what they would have to do.

"We have to find him," he said suddenly, "we have to help him find his own light. Then the darkness won't stay."

They joined hands again, now able to see where they were going. There were creatures in the dark, but they snarled and shielded their eyes. They couldn't stand to look at it. Spurred on by hope and the sense that victory wasn't quite so far away, Akito was almost sprinting by the time they had gone up the stairs and around another corner. Melody was panting, but she didn't complain.

"Almost there," he said, "I can feel it!"

They reached another massive chamber with more doors. It took a couple of tries to find one that wasn't a dead end.

"Here," Akito said, seeing the end of the hallway disappearing into darkness.

They ventured into the hallway. A dark mist swirled around them, trying to blot out their light, but it would not win. Akito's stubbornness proved useful in not giving up though they were both getting tired. The very air here seemed to be getting heavier.

A growl emitted from the darkness.

"There it is," Akito said grimly. The creature, whatever it was, hid just out of sight beyond the protective ring of their glow. Akito felt a flicker of fear—at least he'd been able to see all the other monsters. This one was hidden.

"Haru?" Melody called. No answer.

Akito realized then what its game was. One second, the growling would sound incredibly close. The next, he'd hear a shuffle further away. Sometimes he'd hear footsteps behind him. It was playing on his fear of the unknown. He'd always said it wasn't the dark he was afraid of, it was what was in the dark. Memories of laying in his bed, frightened, as he'd felt dark presences swirling around in the shadows, came to mind. Suddenly, he was furious.

"You think you're so big and bad, don't you? If you are, then show yourself, you worthless thing! You think you're so powerful, but you're nothing! You got a human—a puny little mortal human—to do your dirty work for you! You couldn't even come out and face us yourself, you just ran us off the road! You're PATHETIC!"

The whole world seemed to shake as Akito's voice raised. The creature snarled, furious.

"You wait until Father gets here! You wait until you see THAT light—you think ours gives you a headache?" he laughed, an almost mad-sounding chuckle.

"Akito," Melody whispered, "what are you doing?"

"What am I doing?! What's IT doing?! What demon in it's right mind would stick around now?"

It was true. Akito's glow was growing brighter. The details of the enormous seemingly endless cavern were thrown into sharp relief. He caught sight of a shadowy figure retreating from the light, growling and snarling.

"Haru, let's go! I want to get out of here sometime in the next month!" Akito called, oddly cheerful.

They caught sight of him coming out of the mist, his expression one of stunned surprise. What he saw looked like the effect from a movie: Melody and Akito were both glowing and the glow was concentrated around their chests. He could actually see the outlines of blood vessels silhouetted against it, the semi-transparency of their internal organs and skin. He could see their heartbeats. The glow was so strong that it shone right through their skins.

"I want it," he sighed wistfully. He'd been cheerful for so long, pretending that everything was all right. But he was always afraid the other part of him, the infamously dubbed "Black Haru" would return. He always felt exhausted after this monster within him surfaced and stole his light and he'd been eating it up slowly over the years. He'd been afraid he'd hurt someone in that state and often had.

He felt a warm presence in the dark beside him. Though this particular light was invisible, it was no less obvious. That light was something that mortals could only feel, for it would blind them to see it in their physical bodies. He reached for it, wanting to catch fire as his friends had. Though there was no specific thought in mind, the feeling was understood. Someone embraced him in the dark and it was as if a match had been lit. Haru's own light flared from the inside out, a beautiful shade of green. Father's face became visible to him now as both illuminated—his, of course, was muted on purpose to keep Haru from going blind. But it was pure white.

"Wander no more in this blackness," Father said to him, "you've found me with their help. The demon has fled—he can no longer touch you and you and all your loved ones will be safe."

"Is Isuzu all right?" Haru asked anxiously.

"A little frightened, but I was with her as well. Go now and show her the new and only version of you."

The darkness dissipated completely, fading into a mosaic of bright colors before the ordinary night appeared again. Haru straightened himself. He was no longer bleeding, but he was quite sore. Akito loosened his grip. For one uncertain second, the two stared into each other's eyes. Dark sapphire and silver both gleamed in the moonlight. Then, there was a popping sound as Haru scooped Akito up and hugged him. He managed to lift the smaller man at least a foot off the ground.

"That was…I don't quite have words for it," Haru said, setting Akito back down, "…I don't know whether it was really brave or really stupid to go fumbling around in the dark like that."

"I believe a better description would be 'reckless'," Akito answered, "welcome to the first day of the rest of your life. We'd better find Isuzu and let her know everything's all right now."

They found her standing by the edge of the road, her arms folded around her. She was cold and a little shaken up, but otherwise okay. Haru was relieved to know he hadn't done any lasting damage, though he felt very guilty.

"Let's give them a minute," Melody whispered, leading Akito away. They needed to tell the others it was safe again—for now, anyway.

"Stop apologizing," Isuzu finally griped, "I was there. I know how it is—they completely take over for a little bit. You couldn't help it. The point is you're here now and I know you aren't going anywhere."

He held her tightly to his chest, one hand caressing her abdomen where the slightest bit of a curve was showing.

"You're damn right about that," he said with a great deal of conviction, "I'm not going anywhere."


	33. Chapter 33

A/N: Finally, I'm sure many of you will say. We've hit the weddng/wedding night chapter. There's nothing terribly explicit, but it's at the end if you'd rather not read that part. Also, the "cover image" that I gave this story of Melody and Akito in the garden is now on DeviantArt if you want to see a bigger version of it with more detail—it's under the username MysticaQueen. Enjoy!

Dark, rainy October had faded into bright November. The morning of their wedding dawned soft and cool with a candy-colored sky and the bright oranges, reds, yellows, golds, and browns of fall with the tiniest remnants of green. It was a perfect month for an artist to get married, Melody had joked, because she was surrounded by colors. In contrast to all the warm colors, the flowers were mostly royal blue and purple, but with a few bright ones mixed in. Melody, as Tohru predicted, didn't want to go overboard and wanted to keep with the simple things, but the others got plenty carried away for her. In the end, she was swept along with them like a bit of driftwood on a tide. Akito had willingly signed all the checks knowing that it would be worth it in the end—even if some of those numbers made him sweat a little. It was a very good thing all the Sohma-owned businesses both here and overseas were doing well. He tugged his suit jacket on, wishing the collar of his shirt wasn't quite so high.

"So, today's the big day," Haru pointed out, "to be honest, I'm a little surprised I didn't dream the whole thing."

"You and me both," Akito answered. Since Haru's exorcism, they'd become a little more comfortable around each other, especially since Akito had risked his life out there by the side of the road. It had certainly helped that when Isuzu had started spotting one day that Akito had kept her company at the hospital until he could get off of work.

"If you'd have told me you were getting married a year ago, I think I'd have laughed myself out of the room," Haru said, straightening his tie.

"And I would have checked into a psych ward," Akito answered, "but here we are. I haven't seen her in two days…TWO. Shigure seemed to think it was best if I didn't jinx it. I truly hope I don't mess it up…"

He tugged at his collar again.

"Is it hot in here or is it just me?"

Haru cracked up.

"Stop panicking. You'll do fine. All you have to do is repeat everything the guy tells you to say while you look at how pretty Melody is. That's it. Even Hatori couldn't screw that up and you know how he clams up when he's nervous."

"You're right. I just hope Ayame and Ritsu don't make her late."

"You're sure they caught up with her?"

"Beyond a shadow of a doubt. And the girls have probably crowded into Shigure's little house and are all putting more layers on her than an onion's got. What if I don't recognize her?"

"Please stop your pacing," Haru sighed, "you're making me tired just watching you."

Akito realized he'd been walking back and forth constantly.

"It's not the same," he said quietly, "you've had Isuzu since you were old enough to date—probably not old enough, actually…and the others have all been around boys and girls their own ages their entire lives. I have no idea what I'm doing."

Haru laughed.

"Do you honestly think any of us did at first?" Shigure said from the doorway.

"What are you doing here this early? I thought you'd still be at your own house," Akito said, surprised.

"The girls and the 'honorary girls' have kicked us out. By the way, I'm supposed to give you this. It's from Melody."

Shigure placed a fat manila envelope in his hands. He recognized Melody's childlike scrawl on the outside.

"What is it?" he asked, puzzled.

"I don't know. For once, I didn't peek."

Akito peeled away the tape sealing it shut and upended the envelope. A bunch of papers slid out onto the desk. He stared, thumbing through them.

"They're letters…"

He examined the dates.

"This one is the day she met me," he remembered, "and this one is a week afterward…"

They were all written to him. No longer held hostage by his nerves because of the distraction, he read the first letter. Though it was short, he knew just by the way it was written that she really had started out from day one.

_Akito…_

_ I can hardly express my gratitude for allowing me to stay here. Father, of course, would have found a way, but it means so much to me that you're giving me a chance to help you. Though I don't yet know as much about you as I'd like, I know that all things will come in time. This house is one of the most beautiful ones that I've visited and the gardens even more so. Your friend (it's Hatori, right? I'm still getting the names down) is very nice and I look forward to working with him. The others seem very nice, too, though maybe a little quiet. I can feel the uncertainty in the air of allowing a complete stranger into your midst, but I assure you I will take good care of all of you. Someday I hope we can all be friends and the awkwardness of this will all be behind us. I will close now, as I know I have a lot to do tomorrow and my body is tired (still not used to how heavy it gets after a while…) See you in the morning to check on you._

_ Melody._

Since all the pages were typed, he assumed she'd been writing them on her computer. He hadn't found the letters, though, the first day he'd been messing with it, so she must have hidden them more carefully than the diary entry. Hmmm…

People were in and out of the room, but he hardly noticed them. Yuki and Kyo, much to their chagrin, were dressed alike, but they were at least getting along and not constantly fighting. Kyo still referred to Yuki as "the damn rat" even though he'd been freed first and Yuki still referred to Kyo as "the stupid cat". Some things were never going to change. Hatori, who was used to wearing suits, seemed entirely at home and was the only one not fidgeting. He gave Akito a reassuring smile as he paced the floor, trying to comfort a fussy Tianshi while Kana finished getting ready.

"May I?" Akito asked.

Hatori placed his daughter in Akito's arms. Tianshi cooed at him, looking up at him with her big brown eyes. A tuft of light brown hair was growing in and it was sticking out everywhichway.

"You're getting heavy," he remarked, "you don't look anything like you did when I first met you."

When he'd first held Tianshi, she was thin, red, and wrinkly. Her face had been splotchy and almost bruised-looking. But now, she had healthy pink skin, her eyes were open, and she was much more alert. Squishie came tearing into the room, doing laps around everyone. She didn't know what was going on, but she was very excited. Tianshi giggled when she saw the puppy and was very amused by Squishie's marathon.

"You see that silly puppy? She's goofy, isn't she?" Akito asked. Squishie finally tired herself out and flopped over on her side. Everyone was chuckling.

"Want to pet her?"

Akito leaned down and held Tianshi's little hand over Squishie's side. Very gently, he showed her how to pet the dog. Squishie, of course, was eating up the attention.

"I don't suppose you're thinking what I'm thinking?" Shigure whispered to Hatori.

"Normally when you say that, I'd hope not," Hatori responded. They watched Akito with Tianshi. He'd been entirely out of his element when he'd been around her. Now, he seemed to be getting used to her. Even when she spit up a little bit, Akito mopped her dripping mouth with his handkerchief.

"I guess you aren't the only one with butterflies," Yuki remarked.

Tianshi looked like she was about to cry, but Squishie wagged at her, getting all bouncy again, and she was all smiles again.

"All right! Now I can get this little squirmer ready," Kana announced. She wore a pale green dress that flattered her coloring and figure excellently. She scooped up Tianshi and swung her up in the air, making Tianshi giggle as they exited the room. Akito had gone back to reading his letters. Before long, Hatori tapped him on the shoulder.

"It's time," he announced, giving Akito's shoulder a squeeze.

Akito put the letters away and followed him. The yard smelled like fall—the earthy scent of dried leaves, damp earth, and the flowers all mingled together. Cooking food also mingled in with the scent of spiced apples (a favorite dessert of Melody's). The guests were assembling in their seat and the wedding parties got in their places. A soft breeze blew through the garden, rustling up a few fallen leaves that seemed to be spiting the workers. They had, as always, done a superb job and the gardens were always beautiful no matter the season—even in the dead of winter. Akito caught sight of a familiar face in the crowd.

"Hello, Father," he whispered. Though Father was a very big distance away, he seemed to still hear Akito and gave him a smiling nod. The guests who had not met him didn't really seem to know the significance of his presence here, but it was all right. As always, he was completely at ease with his children and seemed to know each one personally. Akito knew he'd probably paid Melody herself a visit that morning.

The music began to play and the bridal party appeared. Melody had opted for them not to match or have a specific theme. Each one was in whatever she wanted to wear, but they all still looked just as stunning as they had at Hatori's wedding. And then…

Father appeared. His expression serene and calm as always, he guided Melody down the aisle between the two sections of guests. Melody wore a wreath of white flowers around her head instead of the traditional veil and neither her blue-black curls or her ivory skin were hidden (which was the way he preferred it). The dress itself was more than elaborate enough to make up for the lack of a veil. The bodice was done in the style of a medieval corset and laced up the front while the long sleeves were antique-looking lace and ended in satin cuffs on her wrists. The skirt had iridescent beads all over it that shone different colors depending on which way the light caught them. There had been a few of those beads woven into the sleeves and the top of the dress as well, but there were fewer of them so as not to overwhelm the dress with sparkles. All her jewelry was pearls and he suspected that many of the others had lent her those things because she would never buy them herself.

At first, he felt almost faint. It was growing warmer out here and he felt almost suffocated under the layers of clothing though they were considerably lighter than the kimono he'd worn at Hatori's wedding. But then, Father placed Melody's cool hands in his and he felt better. He sensed the energy flowing out of her palms into his and gave her a grateful smile. It was as if someone had taken over, for he recited his vows without truly hearing them, but his voice was calm and he did not make any mistakes. Melody repeated hers, then, and the whole rest of the world had blurred out of focus. They were declared husband wife and suddenly there was nothing but the warmth of her lips on his. For a second, he nearly forgot that they were standing in front of an enormous crowd. Somebody wolf-whistled—probably Shigure—and the spell was broken. Melody's breath caught and she realized that she'd never seen such a beautiful smile as the one he was smiling right now. Those beautiful dark blue-gray eyes were almost glowing.

The reception started late afternoon instead of evening, for it was getting colder quickly now that the sun was going down earlier. The garden was quite beautiful with its candles and soft colored lights and lanterns. A gentle mist settled over the place, giving it a mysterious and ethereal look. Akito once would have been disturbed by this, but he could see the strange beauty that an eerie fall night like this could bring. Once it grew too cold, the guests could go inside and get warm. Since neither Akito nor Melody drank, they clicked together glasses of ginger ale instead of champagne. Cup of Heaven had been hired to cater the event, so Dawn and Alex along with their staff eagerly dished up garlic bread, salad, spaghetti and meatballs, lasagna and tiramisu. Despite being more tired than she'd ever been, Dawn's cheeks glowed with red patches, as she'd never considered catering before. The cake was a recipe of the coffee-house-couple's own making and Dawn referred to it as "raspberry mocha". A tiny slice would kill a sugar craving for a week, Akito mused. He'd never tasted such a sugar bomb in his life.

The song they danced to translated to "Isn't it Beautiful?" in English and it was supposedly a song from a video game. He'd heard the instrumental parts in the cut-scenes when Melody was playing it, but not this version. Impressed that something so beautiful could come out of something he'd once considered trivial, he mused that he was learning something new every single day. The second song, yet another one he didn't recognize, was Melody dancing with Father. Smiling, Akito felt the tiniest bit left out, but not for long. Walking up to Kyoko, who was busy refilling a guest's drink, he bowed and said, "May I have this dance?"

Kyoko set the tea pot down, surprised. Her eyes brimming with flattered, joyful tears, she took his young, smooth hands in her gnarled and twisted old ones and they joined Melody and Father out on the dance floor. Before Father could slip into the crowd again, Akito caught him by the sleeve and steered him away from the others.

"Hey," he said breathlessly, "before you go off and do miracles or answer prayers or whatever it is you do when you're gone, I wanted to say thank you."

Father's smile was full of warmth.

"I see you've started focusing on all you have rather than what you don't," he said softly, "that's the beginning. These people that are here tonight…always remember the joy they've brought you. Even when it's hard."

"Oh, I will," Akito said gratefully.

"You've made Kyoko's night," Father pointed out, listening to her chatter rapidly to another one of the guests, "she'll be talking about this for years to come."

"Well, she was the closest thing I ever had to a mother," Akito pointed out, "she was the one who cleaned out my scraped knees and told me stories and dried my tears. She was more of a mother than Ren ever was."

"That's why I sent her," Father said proudly, "she's been one of my best."

Across the room, Melody caught sight of them and waved. She had been cornered for pictures.

"And so is that one. And so are you. Go on, now. Go take pictures with her."

"But—"

And he was gone. Again. Oh, well…he was probably still here, just not visibly so. Akito shrugged and joined Melody. They probably had five times as many pictures as they needed. Though everyone else wanted them, Akito didn't need pictures. A day like this, a day when even his best dreams could not compete with reality, would forever be etched into his memory in sharp detail. He was glad at least he'd gotten to thank Father in person.

The festivities lasted long into the night. Many of the more casual guests had gone home, and all the families with children (though they'd been permitted to stay up much later than usual). Gradually, the others drifted out and soon, everyone else was calling it a night as well. The staff would have their hands full with clean-up tomorrow, but nobody was complaining. They were all too happy.

"I've been to a lot of weddings," Melody told Akito when they were finally alone, "I just never dreamed I'd be in one."

"Well, Angel Girl, what did you think?"

"I think it really was the happiest day of my life."

He took her hand and led her away from all the party debris and the maids clearing out the dishes and left-over food. The cake was enormous—they'd have plenty of it to finish off. Dawn and Alex had gone home with an enormous amount of tips and plenty of bragging rights, though they would likely never use them. Landing a rich family as a client was a big deal around here and it would probably give their little chain a considerable boost in reputation.

"Let's go get your things," Akito told her. Despite there being plenty of room for her to keep her old room if she wanted, he was pretty certain that she wouldn't. Trying not to trip over the long skirt, she had to hold big handfuls of it in order to keep from stumbling on the gauzy material. They slid the door back and both stared in surprise. Melody's room was empty.

"Umm…where did all my stuff go?" Melody asked, puzzled, "my suitcase is missing, too…"

Just on a hunch, Akito turned and slid the door open to his own room.

"Found it," he muttered, "…along with a lot of other things…"

Melody turned and let out a gasp of shocked laughter. Akito's old bed was gone, replaced with a much more spacious bed. There were rose petals sprinkled on the covers in the shape of a heart. A bunch of candles were lit, casting the room in a soft orange-yellow glow. The closet was propped partway open so that Melody could see all her clothes already hanging up in there and the suitcase laying empty at the bottom. All their wedding gifts were stacked against one wall.

"I don't even know what to say…" Akito said awkwardly, "…except that it would explain why they were in such a hurry to get me out earlier. And why so many of them went missing for such big stretches at the party."

They looked at each other and cracked up.

"They must really love us to go to so much trouble," Melody said, poking her head in the bathroom. All her soap, shampoo, and the like had also been put in there for her as well. Akito's bathroom was by far the prettiest—it had an enormous tub set in the floor where you could sink up to your neck in it.

"Wow…" she said, running her finger along the marble finish, "this is the prettiest tub…and it's huge! You could get lost in here!"

Akito was leaning against the door frame, his amused and somewhat mischievous expression visible to her from his reflection in the mirror.

"You should try it out," he suggested.

It was then that she noticed the basket of books that was sitting beside it and her radio sitting on a shelf by the door.

"I can't believe you actually remembered that…" she remarked, stunned.

"Of course I remembered. I couldn't understand why the bathroom at Shigure's was tied up for hours in the middle of the night until I saw you carrying a book out."

Melody giggled. He'd paid much more attention to her than she'd realized.

"Of course, I'd have to ask if you were up for some company," he said softly, venturing closer, "I've had all this room in here and no one to share with."

Something she didn't quite understand made her skin break out in chill bumps.

"Oh…um…okay? It doesn't bother you about me being naked anymore?" she asked, surprised.

"We weren't married then," he reminded her.

Her belly squirmed as she turned on the tap. The tub would take a while to fill. She ventured back into the bedroom so that she could take the dress off and hang it up properly. It would be a shame to wreck Ayame's hard work out of sheer carelessness. Unfortunately, all that material made it quite heavy and she got herself stuck about halfway through.

"Ugh! Darn it!"

She'd had Ritsu and Ayame to help her earlier, but now she was by herself. Unable to suppress a quiet chuckle, Akito helped his struggling bride free herself from the layers of lace. Now clad in a simple white slip, she breathed a sigh of relief and carefully placed it on the hanger before pulling the plastic cover down over it.

"Thanks," she said gratefully, "I was so scared I'd rip it by accident. I'm glad I don't wear things like that all the time—I'd never want to move."

"I can't say I blame you."

Cheeks burning, she went to check on the water. The tub wasn't quite full yet, but it was steadily getting there. Clouds of bubbles were rising up on the surface, hiding the water's true level in fluffy mounds. Taking a last glance towards the door and confirming that Akito wasn't there, she hastily stripped off the slip and her undergarments and chucked them into the clothes bin. Once she slid into the water, she felt much better. Why was she feeling so shy all of a sudden? Was it the humanity surfacing in her? It hadn't been a big deal a mere few months back…even if that towel would have slipped off, she'd likely have not really cared. Sinking all the way underneath, she let the hot water soak into her hair and breathed a sigh of relief. He was right—this was a nice place to be after such a long day. The bubble bath mix was blueberry scented, one of her favorites. She began to scrub away the layers of makeup that Ritsu had meticulously applied, feeling more and more like herself once it was all gone. Her skin wasn't used to it and it had become itchy after a while.

Akito had stripped down to nothing while she was getting in the bath and was now ready to join her. Though he was probably more nervous now than he'd even been earlier, he reminded himself there was nothing to be afraid of. This was just a part of life, wasn't it? And he'd done everything right. Thankfully, she had her back to him. He squeezed his eyes shut for a second and willed himself to cross the room. Then, in one quick move, he slipped into the water beside her. There was no going back now. Thankfully, the radio was tuned to a classical station and the soft piano music helped ease his growing anxiety. Once Melody had finished rinsing away the makeup, she glanced over at him. Placing his fingertips under her chin, he admired the way she looked with her soggy curls and bits of fluffy foam stuck to her hair and shoulders.

"Much better," he commented. A small smile crossed her lips. He never understood why girls obsessed over makeup so much—this was the real her. This was what she was supposed to look like to him, what she looked like every single day. He pressed his lips to her forehead first, then to her lips. Pulling her into his arms, he closed the inch-wide gap of water that separated them. It was awkward and somewhat scary having someone else's skin pressing into his, but the feeling soon passed. Her skin was like velvet under his hands and yielded easily at the slightest touch. Her own small hands kneaded the tension out of his shoulders and his back, getting him so relaxed that he felt half-asleep after a while. She lay her head against his chest and listened to his heartbeat. Knowing that the outside world would be kept at bay for the next twenty-four hours or so, there was no need to rush their time together. They took turns bathing each other and by the time most of the bubbles were gone and the water growing cool, it was as if they'd been like this for years. He was no longer embarrassed by the hard, angular appearance of his ribs, spine, and hips showing and she was no longer embarrassed by the soft, sagging curves around her hips and belly where she was constantly losing and gaining weight from healing the others. They toweled each other off in the candlelight, both growing more sure in their trust for one another. This, he mused, must have been what it was like if her story of the first man and woman was true. They had been completely naked in front of each other without the slightest bit of shame or fear. Now that he'd lived it himself, he didn't find it so hard to believe. One by one, they blew out all the candles and he led her into the bedroom.

The advantage of neither of them having had lovers before meant that they were both completely clueless and learned together. Akito was uncertain at first as to whether Melody really understood what was about to happen, but he had only to look at that smile on her face to know that she did. She was actually very trusting towards him and didn't try to stop him at any point. He was careful and slow just in case. There was a point where she cringed a little bit, but it didn't last. As fast as it had come, it was gone again. Both of their skin gleamed in the moonlight with the still-dampness from the bath and the sweat of passion. A soft silvery sheen illuminated them both from the window. Though there were sheer white curtains there to prevent any passersby from seeing in, the moonlight was only slightly muted. All spread out on the bed with that silvery shine and her hair spilling over the pillow, Akito didn't think she'd ever looked more like an angel than she did now. Her perspective of him was a little bit different: the moonlight was only hitting half of him, making one side bright and the other side cast in shadow. She had always thought the once-surly Sohma leader was beautiful, but now, she could see all the finer details. The wall that had always been between them from the beginning exploded into shards and now she felt as if she were seeing the real Akito for the first time. All the fear, all the hope, and all the surprise that came from loving her this much showed in his dark sapphire eyes. The physical connection was only the beginning—for the first time, Melody felt as if she truly knew him in that moment.

She bore his weight easily when he collapsed on top of her. Despite her own dizzying weakness, he still weighed practically nothing. She embraced him as they both struggled to regain their breath and tried to memorize all the tiny details: the heat of his cheek against hers, the way his ragged breath sounded in her ear, and the warm solidness of him in her arms. A tear, bright as a diamond, gleamed on her cheek. Concerned, he kissed it, tasting the salt on his now-rosy lips.

"Did I hurt you?" he asked.

She shook her head. Yes, there had been a little bit of a sting, but that couldn't be helped. It was a tear born of joy. His face was hot against her palm as she stroked his cheek. He pressed it further into her hand, his eyes closing in contentment.

_I finally know what the big deal is…_he mused. He shifted a little, separating them physically, but knowing that the deeper bond they'd just created would stay. His angel yawned, exhausted. His own yawn answered her. Twining their limbs together like two vines growing on a wall, they drifted slowly to sleep, each one secure in the knowledge that the other would be there when they woke up.

The next morning…or whenever it was that he was aware of daylight, Akito's consciousness rose to the surface before he dared open his eyes. As the feeling returned to his skin, oddly sensitive now, he realized that it hadn't all been a dream. She was still there and she was still real. The pale golden sunlight illuminated her bare skin, making her look like something out of a Renaissance painting. Her dark curls were adorably mussed and her cheeks and lips were still rosy despite being paled from sleep. A dark spot left from a love bite stood out sharply on the side of her neck and Akito's cheeks pinked. He hadn't meant to be so rough…he hoped she'd forgive him for that. There was also a rusty-colored stain on the inner part of her thigh. He felt acid rising up in his throat. Uh-oh…she said he hadn't hurt her, but how in the world could she not have felt that?! He sighed in frustration. Poor Melody…she'd trusted him and he'd drawn blood.

As if sensing his growing hysteria, she opened her big, green eyes and smiled sleepily up at him.

"Mine," she sighed contentedly, kissing him on the forehead.

"Yours…" he said uneasily.

There was a second of silence.

"What's the matter?" she asked, concerned.

He pointed. She shrugged.

"Is that all? It just means you got there first."

"Are you sure I didn't hurt you?" he asked.

"I'm sure."

She stretched contentedly, still all smiles. His queasiness and fear ebbing, he shook the covers out and smoothed them as soon as she got up.

"I suppose I should give you your present now," he said, "since I never got around to it last night and you sent yours before the wedding."

He placed a rectangle-shaped box in her lap. Eagerly tearing into it and flinging tissue paper in every direction, she squealed when she drew out the soft pale-blue silk. It was the prettiest robe she'd ever seen—and of course there were wings embroidered onto the back. She rubbed her cheek against the soft silk.

"Oh my goodness! This is the prettiest thing I've ever seen!"

They shared another bath together and made sure she was all the way dried off before she allowed him to put it on her. Drawing the edges together and tying it snugly, he admired how the silk shimmered in the daylight. Now she'd have something nice to wear in the evening when she was relaxing instead of that dumb old grandma gown. He made a mental note to burn the stupid thing as soon as he got a chance. He would always give the best he could to this woman for as long as he had her. She then dressed him, taking her time in straightening the edges of his usual yukata though it was going to be getting too cold for it soon. The bright red contrasted wonderfully with the pale blue when they linked arms and went to have breakfast outside in the garden.

_Just like Eden…_she thought in the back of her mind.


	34. Chapter 34

There was no mistaking that winter was on its way. Despite only being three days after the wedding (and still autumn), the first snow came that year. It was a big snowstorm, too, with a lot of wind. Akito felt sluggish and half-asleep as he stayed by the fire watching the swirling flakes. He had traded his yukata for a much heavier kimono, as his small frame and lack of body fat made it hard to regulate his temperature. Despite there being no scientific evidence for a chill being enough to catch a cold, he usually felt worse during winter. Maybe it was because of so many bad things happening in the past…he hoped dearly that this one would be different. As if understanding that he was brooding a little, Squishie walked up to him with her perpetually-wagging tail and put her cold, wet nose on his hand. Instead of being grossed out like he usually was, he absently stroked her head.

"Come to keep me company while she's at the clinic?" he asked, momentarily stirring out of his daze. She put her paws on his knee and he picked her up.

"You're getting heavy," he announced. Squishie had changed visibly since that cold rainy day that they'd first found her. She was growing and her proportions were getting more balanced. She was slightly less clumsy and her legs and tail were catching up with her head and body. But perhaps the most striking difference was her fur: now that she'd been properly fed and groomed for months, her fur was coming in very thickly. It was sticking out every-which-way and was getting quite long. Sometimes it was hard to tell which end was which if you couldn't see her nose! At first, she hadn't been all that pleasant to pet, as her fur was coarse and wiry. Now, it was softening and developing an attractive shine. Melody had taken to tying a small ribbon on her collar, probably to make her look more feminine. Some of the girls tried to put little clothes on her, but Squishie didn't like that. She'd often go tearing down the hall while trying to dislodge the aggravating things, which made Akito crack up laughing. Then, the annoyed little dog would dart under the bed or under the hem of his kimono and bark irritably at them.

She was content now, enjoying being held by one of her masters. He gently kept her out of his face, as she had the habit of trying to "kiss" him on the mouth. Dog spit didn't taste very good. While Melody found this amusing, he didn't.

"Quit it," he muttered, shoving her down, "I'll put you down if you don't."

Sighing, she curled up in his lap, though her tail wagged at his quivering belly. Akito had once thought Shigure was the only dog capable of actually laughing. There was a knock at the door.

"Come in," he called.

It was Kyoko. She'd come to empty out the garbage cans and just straighten up in general.

"I see you've made another friend," she remarked.

"Oh, you mean this thing? I can't get rid of her. I've simply stopped trying," he said with a small smile, "besides, Melody isn't back yet and I've gotten used to people being around…"

His eyes glanced to the empty chair first, then at her. Kyoko took his wordless invitation, grateful for a chance to rest. These days, her joints weren't what they used to be and everyday tasks were getting more difficult, especially with this cold weather.

"Akira would have been very proud of you, you know," Kyoko told him, "he would have been ecstatic to see the young man you've grown into."

She was the only person who could bring his father up besides Hatori that didn't somehow make him angry.

"How is it," Akito asked, still petting Squishie, "that some things—like Melody and Tohru showing up—feel like they were forever ago and that seems like it still happened yesterday?"

Kyoko shrugged.

"Memories are funny that way," she answered, "I've often woken up feeling as if something that was twenty or thirty years ago happened yesterday. Meeting Akira was one of those things. Speaking of which…it's nearly his anniversary."

Akito nodded. It was in this room that Kyoko had come to him and informed him of Akira's impending death. Though Akito was dark haired and dark eyed like his mother, he had inherited Akira's facial structure and slight build. Akira's hair had been a pale gold, almost white—an unusual coloring for an Asian. His eyes had been silvery like the moon—Akito later had written in his journal that Akira almost seemed to be made of light. When he'd stood over Akira's bed, trembling, it was like watching the light fading into shadow. Though he never took part in household chores (as he'd considered them beneath him), there was one chore he always insisted he did alone—that was the care of Akira's grave. Kyoko had helped him when he was younger, but would now only stay there as a silent support while he carried out the tasks along with his vigil.

"Will you take Melody with you this time?" she asked, as if reading his thoughts.

"Of course," he answered uneasily, "when I took those marriage vows, I said I would never keep anything from her no matter how difficult."

Both of them glanced at the box sitting on the mantle.

"Funny…when I first gave you that box, it was only intended to get you through your grief," Kyoko said warmly, "but it's turned into so much more."

Akito set Squishie down and retrieved it.

"Tell me about it," he laughed, "Melody gave me all these things and she's been adding more to it when she thinks I'm not paying attention."

There was, of course, the sparkling diamond. It was her first gift to him. There were all the pictures. Both Melody and Hatori's hospital bracelets from the time she'd saved his life were there as well. The more recent inclusions were one of the invitations from Hatori and Kana's wedding, a tiny baby shoe that Tianshi had long-since outgrown (Hatori and Kana had recently approached him about being her godfather), a copy of Isuzu's ultrasound, a recipe for leek soup from Tohru to Melody, a ticket for a play that Kisa and Hiro had been in, and a picture from Cup of Heaven of the exact moment he'd proposed to Melody. There were also a few flowers from Melody's wedding wreath and an invitation from their own wedding. The box was rapidly filling up. Once averse to anyone touching this box but him, he enjoyed watching Kyoko sift through the contents. She had, after all, been an enormous part of his life.

"I've heard Ren's hearing is tomorrow if it doesn't keep up the snowing," Kyoko mentioned.

Akito shuddered. He'd had to testify and that had been stressful enough. The more he saw her, the worse she looked. She was clearly unhinged now and it had taken considerable bribing the press to keep from splashing all their faces across the news.

"I don't care what they do with her as long as they don't let her go," Akito said darkly, "it wouldn't be safe for her to be out."

Kyoko heard the fierce protectiveness in his voice.

"I don't think she'd be foolish enough to show her face around here," Kyoko said softly, "if she does get off, I do hope she'll just count her blessings and leave town. Maybe even the country."

"I don't want to talk about her anymore," Akito said irritably, "just thinking about the bitch makes my blood boil."

"Understandable. So…what are we doing for Christmas?"

Christmas…that was something he hadn't thought about. While the other family members were welcome to do as they wished in their own homes and so forth, he never did anything for Christmas—it was always too depressing. He preferred to ignore it and always breathed a sigh of relief when it was passing. This year, however, he had Melody to think about. And the others…though he didn't like it much, it would be selfish to exclude them just because of his hang-ups.

"I'm not really sure," he confessed, "I've never thought about it. I can't just hole up in here and ignore the others anymore, can I?"

"Afraid not," Kyoko answered with a smug smile.

"I'll work on it," he muttered, "I don't know much about it other than angels happen to be very big on Christmas."

Though he was trying to sound annoyed, it wasn't working. Kyoko was very amused.

"Well, I'll be happy to help out wherever I can," she said warmly, "by the way, it's nearly five. I should probably go help with dinner."

With a wink, she rose from her chair, collected the garbage, and left. A few minutes later, Melody's footsteps came down the hall. Squishie eagerly leapt at the door, wagging her tail. Melody scooped her up and hugged her, struggling to keep from dropping her since her whole body was wiggling. She let her out in the snow and let her run off all that excess energy before wiping it all off and letting Squishie collapse on the rug.

"Is the dog the only one who gets such an enthusiastic welcome?" Akito asked coolly. She slid into his arms, feeling like she'd been there all her life. Despite the almost calculated tone he had, the heat in his kiss betrayed his gladness to see her. He could still taste her coffee and the sugariness of whatever pastry she'd last eaten—probably crammed into her mouth between patients. He'd never be able to have any kind of a dessert item without thinking of her again. Her eyes shone softly when they finally came up for air.

"Isuzu's doing much better," Melody informed him, "and so is the other lady, the one that had to go have a C-section. I got to take out the stitches. That little boy is getting so big. This place is really starting to fill up with babies."

"I noticed," he answered, trailing his hand down her back, "I don't suppose this would have anything to do with all the curses you've broken, would it?"

"Maybe," she answered quietly, "everyone feels better, less stressed out. That's probably it."

Resting her cheek against his, she let her eyes slide closed. In her opinion, she could never hold him enough. It was good that he didn't mind it—in fact, he was getting a lot more comfortable with her constant affection in general.

"I know what you're thinking," he said after she let out the smallest little sigh, "and I don't want you to worry about it. We've talked about this already."

"I know," she answered weakly, "I just…I still feel like I'm depriving you."

"Won't you ever realize I've already gotten more than I could ever want? I may not hate kids as much as I used to, but that doesn't mean I'm ready to be a parent," he answered, "besides, we have all the time in the world for that."

She opened her mouth to say something, but he cut her off with a very passionate kiss.

"Don't you know," (kiss) "it's very rude," (kiss) "to interrupt your husband?"

"But you weren't—" (kiss).

It was funny how he was so small, yet he could nudge her backward without the least bit of resistance. Akito's one weakness throughout his whole life was his addiction to having power over someone. Once, it had been fear. But now…

"I know I wasn't talking," he said in her ear, "but who said anything about talking?"

She instinctively wrapped both arms around him when they started to tip over, taking him with her.

"Missed me that much?" she asked raggedly in his ear.

"What do you think?"

True to his word, he had gotten her a doctor's coat made with her name embroidered on it. For now, he slid it off of her and lay it over the back of the chair. Though she'd never be the same in his eyes as the other ones—all practically useless in his eyes other than Hatori, he didn't want to think about anything hospital-related now. Beneath the coat, she wore a black shirt made of velvet. It came three-quarters of the way down her arms, but left her wrists and hands bare (other than her rings, of course). His lips grazed the back of each one before turning them over and kissing the sensitive inner part of the wrists. Through the slivers of small bluish veins that were just under the skin, he felt her pulse jump. It was odd how much he had come to love her hands. Her artists' eye was rubbing off on him in terms of seeing beauty in the most mundane and ordinary things. Or maybe it was just that these hands had healed him so many times that he couldn't help but love them. A delicious sense of smugness washed over him when he felt a shudder roll through her. Then, he pressed a kiss right over her now noisily thumping heart. He could feel it pounding through her skin. His own had increased to answer it. One of her hands had only to cup the side of his face for the rosiness to appear on his cheeks as if his very blood wanted to be closer to her. Despite the swirling snow and howling winds outside, he'd never felt warmer.

The light had become soft and blue outside, the grayness dissolving for now but promising to return tomorrow. Husband and wife reclined lazily on the rug in front of the fireplace, both completely naked save for the blankets they were wrapped in. Both were contentedly devouring dinner while some kids' movie played on the computer. Akito had once read the book _The Secret Garden_ as part of his school-work, but it was eerie to see a character so similar to him in a movie.

"Colin is a serious pain…was that me when we met?" he couldn't help but ask anxiously.

"No," Melody said with a sheepish smile, "you were a lot crankier than Colin…but you've actually been through a lot more than he has."

Both of them laughed as Colin threw a very nasty fit. Akito still felt guilty and squirmed uncomfortably. Pulling Melody closer to him, he said, "at least I have a Mary of my own to keep me in check."

"And a huge garden to play in once this storm calms down," she reminded him gleefully.

He responded by biting a grape off of the bunch that she held in her hand.

"Hey! Get your own!"

"I'm your husband. You're supposed to share with me."

"There's two things I don't share," she warned, holding them out of her reach, "coffee and food."

He chuckled mischievously and wrestled them away from her.

"Fine…I guess I've got to hog all the strawberries then," Melody teased. He surrendered the grapes with a fake-hurt look.

When they finally reached the part of the movie where Colin's father had the dream about him and came home, Akito finally spoke up:

"The anniversary of my father's death is coming up two days from now," he said, staring hard at the computer screen though he wasn't truly seeing what was going on, "there's something I wanted to ask."

"I'm listening," she said, the childlike joking aura dissolving.

"I'm the only one who goes and takes care of the grave every year," he said, his voice a little bit downcast, "but…I would like you to come with me if you don't mind."

"Of course," Melody said warmly, resting her head on his shoulder, "it seems only fitting since I must have known him at one time or another."

"Thank you," he answered, grateful that the hard part was over. He wasn't used to asking for things like this. Why was it so easy for him to be naked in front of her, but hard to ask for her help or even her support? He hoped it would get easier as time went on.

It was later on that night when somebody else needed their help. Akito was sleeping so soundly that he didn't hear the phone rang. Fumbling for it in the dark, Melody was the one who answered.

"Hello?"

She wondered why her voice was always so croaky when she first woke up.

"I'm very sorry to bother you this late at night," Yuki's timid voice said, "but we've got a serious problem. I think it's Shigure's turn—he's been acting odd all day and now he's been arrested."

"Arrested?! For what?" Melody asked, stunned.

"Remember his editor Mitsuru? She came over earlier asking for his manuscript. She wouldn't tell us what happened, but there was a very big argument and he went after her. She wouldn't tell anyone why she called the police, not even Ritsu. They just now called us."

Melody sighed.

"All right. Nobody panic. We'll get this sorted out."

"Truthfully, I'm scared of what Akito will say."

"You let me handle him, all right? Just try to calm everyone else down and talk to Mitsuru for me. Tell her that this was in no way his fault."

Akito stirred next to her.

"All right," Yuki said reluctantly, "thank you."

"Meet us down there at the police station okay?"

"We will."

Melody looked over at Akito. She was loathe to wake him up now, especially since he seemed to be sleeping better these days, but it couldn't be helped. Hopefully he would just sleep in tomorrow. Saying a quick prayer in her head, she woke him up with kisses rather than shaking him.

"Ugh…" he muttered, "is it morning already? Why's it so dark?"

"It's only morning in the sense of what time it is," Melody said sheepishly, "I'm afraid there's been a…um…situation…that I need your help with."

He sighed.

"Can't it wait?"

"No."

"Fine," he grumbled, sitting up, "What's going on that's so damned important?"

"We have to exorcise Shigure."

"Now?"

"Yes, now. But first we need to get him out of jail."

Akito stared at her incredulously.

"Please tell me I misheard you," he begged, his ire rising.

"You didn't…whatever's inside of him caused him to get arrested," she lamented, "we have to get him physically free before we send out the demon."

Akito said some very not nice things as he stomped around the room getting dressed. Not wanting to try his temper any more than she had to, Melody hurried to get her own clothes on. Both of them had a great deal of layers on to guard against the cold. Once they got outside, Akito realized that all the snow that had been shoveled was starting to pile up again.

"Damn him for doing this to us of all times! Does he even know how dangerous it is to be driving right now?!" he roared.

Melody placed her hand on his knee.

"He can't control it, Akito. It's not his choice to have this happen."

"Don't touch me. Not right now."

Akito's barely suppressed rage came out in his carelessness. Snow sprayed out on either side of the car when he threw it into reverse faster than he probably should have. Melody's face was pale in the dark and her eyes were wide, but she didn't dare say anything. Instead, she silently prayed. The whites were showing more in Akito's eyes and his teeth were clenched in a wolf-like snarl. She'd only seen that expression a few times, but she knew it meant trouble. Thankfully, he kept his fury in check enough to not be careless anymore now that they were on the icy, slick road. The car slid a few times but thankfully did not spin. Akito was grateful for the silence both inside and outside the car, as it helped his speeding thoughts slow down. The snowfall had thinned a little bit by the time they reached the police station, thank God. Kyo, Tohru, and Yuki were getting out of Shigure's car nearby.

"Thank goodness!" Tohru threw her arms around them both, but only for a brief second.

"That bad, huh?" Melody asked.

Tohru nodded grimly.

Akito led the way in. Despite his small stature, he was very intimidating when he wanted to be. Armed officers actually stepped out of the way just so they wouldn't be so close to him. Once they reached Shigure's cell, all of them were worried.

"Get that idiot out of there," Akito snapped, having already made the arrangements in the front room. Shigure was sitting on the bunk. He was facing away from everyone, even when the guard moved to unlock the door. Melody wished that Akito would calm down, but she knew from experience that telling him to calm down would have the opposite effect.

Shigure, or whatever was controlling him, stood up and stretched leisurely. He said nothing as the door clanged shut behind him. To be safe, Kyo took one of his hands and Yuki took the other. No one said a word until they got outside.

"So, the pretty little angel came to rescue me," Shigure whispered, "you're really the one I wanted to see. I remember those curves…"

"Don't you dare talk to my WIFE like that!" Akito snarled.

"What's the matter? Afraid of a little competition?"

"Shigure, please stop," Melody pleaded.

In a mock stage-whisper, Shigure cupped his hand to her ear and whispered, "In case you were wondering, I have a lot more to work with."

He reeled backwards, the sickening impact not reaching their ears until they'd already registered him falling. A smear of blood had appeared on Akito's knuckles. His small grip on his temper had slipped away and he charged after him, landing blow after blow. It took Melody, Tohru, Kyo, and Yuki to pull him off. Even then, it was still a struggle.

"Akito! This isn't helping!" Melody yelled.

"If he says one more word, nothing will help him!" Akito snapped. He was breathing raggedly and a sickly cough sounded from his lungs.

"Easy," she whispered, "it's just the demon talking. It's not worth it. You know you can't believe a thing they say."

Akito turned his rage-filled gaze on her.

"Why are you siding with him!?" he asked.

"I'm not," Melody said patiently, "I'm only saying that the best way to hurt him is to throw him out. He knows he's already lost. That's why he's picking on us."

Akito's expression only softened a little bit, but they felt the tension leaving his body and felt safe enough to let him go.

"Now, come on. Let's do this the right way."

Both knelt next to Shigure in the snow. Shigure spat a mouthful of blood out and looked at Akito with an almost pouting expression. His eyes fluttered closed as they entered his mind.

"A school? What in the Hell are we doing in school?!" Akito asked, surrounded by the generic white hallway and floor tiles.

"I take it he's never had the nerve to sing that annoying song around you," Melody said with a shrug, "he likes the late teen range the best—he thinks older women are boring."

Akito suppressed a gag. He'd always known Shigure was something of a pervert, but not like this. The man had as much as a ten year age gap on them if not more!

"I'll kill him," he muttered irritably.

The environment wasn't the same type of gloomy that the others had been. The hallways were very brightly lit and there was no sign of decay or damage. There was, however, a very uneasy vibe to the whole thing. It only worsened when they started to see the girls. The uniforms they wore were practically nonexistent. Akito shuddered and held tighter to Melody's hand.

"I'm going to need a shower after this," he said disgustedly. He'd never liked revealing clothes on anyone and had often chewed out the girls at the main house if he thought they were dressing too scantily. It wrecked the family's image, he had said. No one wanted the Sohma name to be associated with a bunch of whores.

They passed numerous girls in various states of either skimpy dress or undress. It wasn't until they reached the crowded cafeteria that they found Shigure amongst the estrogen ocean. He was laying in the middle of a table. In perhaps what had to be the most undignified position possible, he was chained to it and didn't have a stitch of clothing on. When they finally spotted who was keeping him there, Akito's jaw dropped.

"Tohru?!" His voice was high with disbelief.

"That's not Tohru," Melody reminded him, "she's only using Tohru's image. The real Tohru would never do such a thing, remember?"

Swallowing the acid that bubbled up in his throat, Akito nodded. More disturbing was how intimately the fake Tohru was touching Shigure. She seemed completely unconcerned when they got closer.

"You'll have to wait your turn," she said in a sickeningly sweet voice, "but I promise to make it worth it."

She straddled Shigure. He was still struggling against the chains, but his own body was still betraying him.

"Stop it! Can't you see he doesn't want you? If he did, why would you need to chain him?" Melody demanded.

The succubus turned her head slowly towards Melody, flipping a curtain of shiny brown hair as she did so.

"These aren't my chains, dear. They're his. He was the one who forged them with all his dirty thoughts and his constant need to seek a warm body out. I'm just along for the ride."

Akito grabbed her by the arm and wrenched her away from Shigure. She gasped, a mixture of pain and pleasure while Melody searched for the key.

"Oh, I like it rough," the demoness hissed in Akito's ear, "you're much more fun than he is. Do you remember the night I came to visit you?"

Akito recoiled from her touch.

"Stay away from me! I don't know you!"

"Oh, but you do. You welcomed me, too. If your mother hadn't started that fire, well, I'd have stolen your innocence completely. And what's there inside of you wants very much what's inside of me."

Much to his horror, Tohru's mock-innocent features melted into Melody's. In fact, it was the same gown as from the dream he'd had those many months ago.

"Remember this?" she purred in Melody's deeper voice, "Ah, yes, you do. I can see it in your eyes."

Melody was fighting with a bunch of the other girls. Apparently, one of them had the key and didn't want to let go of it. She couldn't help him. A droplet of blood splashed on the white tile.

"No," Akito said firmly, "you will never be her. Even a part of Melody is worth more than a thousand of you. I don't care what happened that night—that woman over there is the only one I will ever want."

"Then if I cannot have you or him, I shall take you anyway!"

The succubus transformed. Despite the flowing blonde waves and the innocent-looking blue eyes, there were two sinister black wings protruding from her back and two cruelly curved talons where her feet had been a second before. Her skin reddened until it was the color and luminosity of live coals. The sad thing was that she still carried an air of tragic beauty about her. A black smoke emitted from her skin and the other girls around them appeared to be choking on it. The toxic gas reached his lungs as well and he dropped to his knees, struggling to breathe.

Melody kicked her adversary in the gut, using the collar of her shirt to shield her mouth and nose. She punched another one in the face that tried to trip her. A third tried to stab her with a knife, but she missed and Melody twisted her arm around violently.

"If you all know what's good for you, you'll clear a path!" she announced. Akito grinned despite feeling as if he was choking to death. Little red dots exploded in front of his eyes as his meager supply of oxygen ran out. Melody managed to stuff the key into the lock only to have it disintegrate.

"Oh no!" she cried out in horror.

"Did you really think that was going to work?" the succubus asked her, "Unlike those other fools, I've learned from their mistakes. And I won't fail."

Shigure's mouth was bound as well as his limbs. He looked over at Melody with helpless, pleading eyes.

"Father," Melody choked out, starting to succumb to the gas, "help…"

She toppled over, coughing and coughing and unable to stop. As she and Akito were about to lose consciousness, Shigure saw her shakily join hands with her new husband.

_I want a love like that…_he lamented, _I've spent years chasing it, saying it was just a part of me being a dog-spirit. But I'm not just an animal…I can't be content with just going to bed with someone…and they're going to die if I don't find a way out of these chains._

He looked up at the succubus, the woman who had been holding him hostages. She'd been with him every night in his dreams, appearing as a different girl each time and he'd been contented for a while. Tohru had been his first real female friend and Melody had been his second. It wasn't until then that he'd placed any real value on women. It wasn't the size of her breasts or the way she filled out a skirt that was important…it was the smile, the inner softness, and the spirit that mattered more. That was probably what had lost him Mayuko…

_Unlike the others, I saw you that day as well as Akito…please, Father, you're the only one who can save us now…those two are sick and I'm stuck…please don't let them die because of my carelessness…_

The woman in front of him now sickened him. He couldn't even bear to look at her. She'd taken everything from him, using him to fill her sexual appetite and becoming jealous every time he'd tried to form a meaningful relationship with a real woman. And he was ashamed that he'd let her.

The strength flowed through him, an invisible river joining with his blood. Looking down at his wrist, he tugged and actually felt the metal strain. With a snap, the chain broke.

"What are you doing?!" the succubus hissed.

"I'm taking my life back," Shigure announced, "I'm sure you'll find some other unfortunate fool to enslave."

He freed the rest of his left arm, then his right arm. Pulling upward with all his might, he broke the rest of the chains and slid off the table. A white mist swirled up from the floor, swallowing up all the unfortunate girls that were never real in the first place. They were only representations of the traits he'd valued for so long.

"Ah, no! Get away from me! GET AWAY!"

The succubus tried to fly higher to avoid the mist, but it rose anyway. It caught up with her and consumed her, causing her to prune and wither. She dropped to the floor, decaying from the inside out. Soon, she was nothing but a pile of ash.

"I have freed you," a voice said, coming out of the white mist, "and given you the strength to overcome. But you have to be careful. The heart is a dangerous thing. And what lies below even more."

A white robe materialized around Shigure, covering him up.

"Thank you, Father," he said gratefully as a shape appeared out of the mist. Though the swirling fog was too thick to get a good look through, he knew the figure was shining with a powerful light that trumped even the sun.

"Go home and rest, my new son," Father said, embracing him, "and tomorrow, begin your life again."

There was a brilliant flash of light and then everything disappeared, replaced by the dark, cold early morning. It had stopped snowing, leaving everything around them eerily still. Shigure sat up, a burst of adrenaline reviving him.

"Ugh…it's cold! How did I get out here?" he asked, hugging himself, "And why is there blood everywhere?"

He gingerly touched his rapidly swelling nose and lip.

"I got this," Melody said, healing him. As the pain receded, he noticed the police cars and the station and all the worried faces.

"We'll tell you all about it on the way home," Akito said, "but for now, let's get in the cars before we all freeze to death."


	35. Chapter 35

Melody woke feeling as if she'd been through a war. Groaning a little, she felt her muscles protest when she even thought about moving. A coughing fit seized her and she struggled for air, but it soon subsided. Her lungs felt as if they were being eaten away with acid and she clutched her painful sides.

"Stay still," she heard Akito ordering her, "it gets worse when you move."

He crossed into her line of vision, face as pale as snow from worry. His mouth was set in a hard line. Judging by the shadows under his eyes, he hadn't gotten much sleep last night. She looked around, noticing that it was the small guest room at Shigure's house.

"What happened?" she rasped out, her voice rattling like dry leaves. Very gingerly, as if afraid that he'd hurt her if he'd so much as touched her the wrong way, he lay down next to her and stroked her hair.

"Something very scary," he said grimly, "the demon made you ill."

"How bad was it?" she asked.

"Bad," he replied, "we were almost here when you started choking. When I pulled over to see what was going on, you had blood coming out of your mouth. It was all over your shirt, all over your hands, and all over your lap. Yuki gave you a few puffs on his inhaler until Hatori got here. He thinks that smoky stuff burned your lungs. Shigure was absolutely beside himself."

"He shouldn't have been," Melody rasped, "we all knew it was going to happen. Besides, it wasn't his fault."

"I know," Akito sighed, "and I told him that none of us blamed him and I knew you wouldn't, either, but it's been very hard on him. He insisted on staying with you so that I could have a chance to sleep. I didn't leave you for long, though."

His hands grasped hers. She felt his mind probing the edge of hers, asking to be let in. She accepted his memories willingly, amazed that only the spring before that he'd tried so hard to hide his heart from her. Images flashed through her head of him sponging the blood away, of him attempting to get her to eat or at least drink a little water. Him changing her clothes so that she wouldn't wake up to bloodstains everywhere. Him curling his body protectively around hers when he slept. It brought joyous tears to her eyes.

"That was very sweet of you," she said warmly.

"It's what I'm here for," he reminded her.

"How long was I out?"

"A couple of days at least. You woke up sometimes, but it didn't really seem like you were all there. Hatori said it was the fever."

She remembered something suddenly.

"You were going to go and visit your dad today, weren't you?! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to keep you from it," she lamented.

His gaze was only a little bit downcast, but it was more from her being upset than anything else.

"We will go when you're better," he said gently, "I'm sure papa will understand. You need me more than he does at the moment."

It took her an additional three days to get rid of the infectious symptoms though there were no germs in her blood according to Hatori. Her strength was still poor, but she hated laying around and doing nothing—it had driven her crazy. Wrapped up well against the early winter chill, she was glad to get in the car. Putting everything they needed in the trunk of the car, Akito shut it and got into the driver's side. They didn't talk on the way there just because words weren't necessary—and he didn't want her to start coughing again.

Akira's grave was a very elaborate one. While the cemetery employees were given extra to keep the Sohma graves in good condition, the snow had hindered them lately. The first thing he did was scrape it all off. He told Melody to sit on the bench while he worked so that she wouldn't tire herself out by standing. After the snow was cleared, he polished up the smooth stone and made sure there were no leaves or dirt or any other debris there. Placing a few items such as copies of the pictures and wedding invitation and so forth, he knelt there in the snow. At first, it was difficult to talk out loud because Melody was there—even though he trusted her with far more than his very life. His voice was so quiet that it was almost inaudible and was carried away on the wind.

"I'm sorry about the wait," he said, "some things come up…I'm sure you know, but this is the first time I've ever been late. I wanted to make sure Melody could handle the cold first…"

His fingers trailed over the smooth, icy stone.

"There isn't a day that goes by that I don't miss you," he continued, "or the others that are old enough to remember you—they always talk about how kind you were and how much you loved us all. I don't think I'll ever be as good as you were, but I'm trying."

A breathless laugh escaped his mouth, the cold air stinging but feeling good at the same time, "You wouldn't believe all the stuff that happened this year…I can't believe it myself and I lived it. If anyone said I'd end up married…to an angel in human form no less…I'd have called the guys in the white coats to pick them up. But you always did believe there was something more out there, something bigger than you. I remember how you wouldn't let anyone refer to you as 'god'. I never caught onto that before now…I wish I'd have listened to you then."

Letting his forehead rest on the stone for a moment, Akito let his eyes close. If he tried to remember hard enough, he could conjure up a sketchy, far away image of Akira in his head. It was growing more vague by the year and now the memory was barely clinging to life at all.

"I see it now," Akito said quietly, "the lie you were trying to stop but you never lived long enough to. I see how my mother tried to cover it all up because she wanted the power. I used to wish you hadn't let her get away with it, but I understand why. Being the slightest bit like the real God is about loving somebody so much that you don't think twice about giving something up for them…like what you did for me and Ren both. I just wish I could tell you thank you for all that you did even though I didn't know you as well as I wish I could have."

A hand on his shoulder got his attention. At first, he thought it was Melody, but when he turned to look, she was still sitting on the bench. Very, very carefully, he his gaze to the hand. It shimmered with an unearthly light. Slowly, his eyes trailed up the arm.

"Papa?"

His voice came out in a high-pitched gasp, making it seem as if no time at all had passed. The face of his father—a face he never dreamed he'd see again—was beaming down at him. It didn't look anything like it had the last time. The dark circles under the eyes were gone, the flesh smooth and healthy instead of tightly drawn and pale. The hands were filled out with flesh instead of being bony and skeletal with only a thin coating of tightly stretched skin as they had been in life. Numbly, Akito moved to touch it. Warmth radiated from Akira's ethereal "skin" and soaked into him, making him completely unaware of the cold despite the wind picking up.

"A lot's changed in the last fourteen years," Akira's deep and soothing voice said, "especially in here."

He gestured to Akito's heart area.

"If you could come to me like this," Akito asked, sounding slightly hurt, "why didn't you come when I was younger? I still needed you."

"I never left you, Akito. I was with you all along, especially in times of difficulty—when you were in the hospital, when you were fighting with Ren, when you were laying in your bed alone at night. You couldn't see me is all."

Akito's eyes glittered, though whether the tears came from the cold or the emotions, he did not know.

"Why now, then? Not that I'm complaining," he said with an uncomfortable laugh.

"Because you believe. You've seen that there is something much more to the universe than you thought. You opened your mind and your heart to it all. You believe in Father and in angels and demons. So now you can see me as well."

"Did you…you know…make it? To Heaven? The way Kyoko said?"

"Yes. I made it. Father took me into his arms and swept me away when my flesh failed. And I will be with him for all eternity. I had a short earthly life, but I don't regret a single moment of it."

Akito smiled, the tear freeing itself and glittering like a diamond in the sunlight.

"Did you know her?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Of course I know her. I asked her to come and Father chose to send her. I had no way of knowing things would work out the way that they did, but I did know it was time you had a friend. And now you'll have more of them than you know what to do with."

Melody was grinning ear to ear.

"So you were in on it, too…of course…" Akito sighed, though he was happy.

"I've been in on more than you think," Akira said with a mischievous grin, "how do you think Kana turned up out of nowhere all those months ago? And the ad in the paper that caused Melody to have an excuse to turn up when she did? Father allowed me the privilege to arrange certain meetings."

Akito laughed.

"I don't have much time," Akira said, "but I wanted to tell you how proud I am of how you've turned things around. I knew you could do it. It's been a trial, I know, but you've overcome so much. And you found the one thing that Ren and I couldn't—someone who returns your love and multiplies it."

He embraced Akito. It was strange—the last time Akito had seen him upright, he'd been practically towering over him. Now, they were almost the same size with Akito being only slightly shorter than Akira. Akira's frame felt healthy, not frail and thin like the last time he'd hugged him.

"It's all right, then, right? I don't have to be this 'god' thing anymore? I can just be Akito from now on, right? Just Akito?"

"Of course. But 'just

Akito' is something far more valuable than you realize," Akira told him, "now that you're not holding onto that anymore, you can become what Father always wanted you to be."

"I didn't get a chance to say it then, but I love you," Akito said in his father's ear, desperately not wanting him to go.

"I love you, too. And don't worry about what's to come. We're still watching over you and we'll still be with you even if you can't see us."

He turned transparent, clear like glass, then faded away entirely. Akito felt his presence there for a little bit longer before that faded as well. Clutching both hands to his mouth, he let years of tears that he'd held in cascade out. The sense of pain and loss was there, but so was the relief and the promise of a future he hadn't been sure he'd ever get. He wasn't even really sure why he was crying, just that it felt so damn good that he couldn't stop right away. Melody knelt next to him and gathered him into her arms until the flow had stemmed.

"He was there the whole time," Akito breathed in her ear, watching the snow fall through the blur of the water, "and I never knew it…how does that happen? How could I not have felt it?"

She knew he was more or less thinking out loud rather than expecting an actual answer.

"And he's not angry with me…not even with all the stupid crap I've done…not even with how mean I was…"

Melody understood another small piece of the human puzzle in that moment. Until he could forgive himself, he'd never really understood how forgiveness worked from other people. He'd been carrying the guilt for so long that it had become a part of him. And he had been worried about filling Akira's shoes because people constantly compared them (which wasn't fair, although it was just something that humans couldn't help but do).

It was getting late and night would be falling soon. They brushed all the snow off of each other and headed back to the house. Despite having an annoying headache from the crying spell earlier and feeling as if his nose and eyes had been rubbed in sandpaper, Akito actually felt better than he had in a long time. There was something on the inside that felt cleaner and more purified by allowing all that emotion to surface. Melody took his hand in hers once the car was stopped and he embraced the swirls of light and color as they eased the pressure in his sinuses. The darkness in his aura was retreating, she noticed. Eight people had been freed: Yuki, Ritsu, Kyo, Hatori, Shigure, Isuzu, Hatsuharu, and Kisa. After the remaining six, it would become even more beautiful and bright. In freeing them, he was freeing himself as well.

"Go and take a nap," he instructed her, "you look really wiped out."

Melody yawned and didn't argue. These days, though her flesh armor actually weighed less, it felt heavier to carry around. She curled up in their bed with Squishie to keep her company. Satisfied that she was down for the count, Akito gathered up the others and told them of his plan. Kyoko, of course, was overjoyed. The necessary phone calls were made and everything set up. Tohru, once again, was recruited along with Arisa and Saki. Being from the Western world where Christmas was a bigger event than here, Arisa knew a little bit more about it than the others did. Akito knew from the stories that Kyoko told that Christmas had once been a much bigger affair here. It had been almost as big as New Year's, and the house would be lit up like a beacon with strands of colored lights and the scents of wonderful things. They still had the remnants of November left, but it wouldn't be long before his secrets would be revealed to Melody.

Once that had all been taken care of, he asked for dinner to be brought by later. The last few days had been a roller coaster and he was coming down off of the adrenaline high that had fueled him through her illness. Content that everything was fine for now, he returned to his—no, their room. Melody was curled up around a pillow and Squishie was taking up most of the bed. How exactly did that work, anyway? Dogs, he thought irritably, were quite good at defying the laws of physics by taking up more room when they slept. Easing her down to the foot of the bed, he ignored her reproachful "sneeze" and lay down beside Melody. He slipped under the covers and cuddled up with her spoon-style. One leg draped over her hip and one arm was curled around her waist. Drowsy and finally warm enough to be comfortable, he slid into an easy sleep that lasted for quite a while.

When both of them finally woke, it was dark. Melody still had that rattling cough, unfortunately, but at least it was getting quieter. Hatori's humidifier was probably helping somewhat since the air wasn't so dry now.

"When did you get back?" she asked sleepily. He was now lying on his back and she was on her side with her head laying on his chest.

"Shortly after you came here," he said quietly, "the cold always does this to me."

It was most likely many more factors than the cold, but she didn't mention that.

"Did you take your medicine today?" he asked her.

"Yes," she mumbled, "it's not really doing much—the dark energy has to go on its own. And I probably won't get rid of it completely. I don't want you to worry."

"I can't help it," he said defensively.

She hugged him, knowing it was just because he loved her.

There was an anxious knock at the door.

"Come in," he mumbled, hoping the visitor would be quick. He still felt slightly hung over from sleeping so long. Kisa, still somewhat timid in her mannerisms poked her head in. Squishie wagged and jumped off the bed to greet her.

"Um…we need your help," she said, barely audible, "sorry to bother you."

Akito's expression softened.

"What is it, Kisa?" he asked gently.

"Hiro. He ran away. He disappeared into the woods. We've been looking for an hour and we can't find him. Mom thinks it might be the curse."

Akito and Melody exchanged glances. On one hand, he didn't want to put Melody in that situation again now that she'd just gotten well. On the other, the demon inside Hiro wouldn't wait until she was well.

"We'll find him, don't worry. We need all the others, though. Even in winter, those woods are dangerous. Tell them all to bring flashlights and not to go in alone—everyone has to have another person with them. I'd rather they met up here first."

She nodded.

"And thank you," he said, giving her shoulder a pat. She left to go make the phone calls and the married couple bundled up against the cold as best as they could. Akito wished he didn't have to take Melody out there in weather that probably felt colder than zero. He wished he didn't have to ask her to risk her life yet again, but they had no choice. He held onto the promise that the red-haired angel had given him, however, and hoped it would be enough.

They drove to the woods. Everyone split off in pairs, and all of them had cell phones in case one of the pairs crossed Hiro. Shining their flashlights to and fro, they called Hiro's name and those that believed prayed that nothing had happened to him. Melody's gloved hand tightened on Akito's. She'd tied a handkerchief over her mouth to make sure that the cold air wouldn't sting her lungs so much, so it prevented them from talking very much. The dark trees stood with their bare branches cutting into the dark sky and the dark was very unsympathetic to their cause. Akito would always despise it to some degree. They had waded through the snow for nearly an hour now and the wind was picking up. Akito's ears stung and he tugged the hood of his coat up around his head. Then, his face stung. Gradually, the cold had begun to creep in, especially with the accursed wind blowing. Shuddering, he willed himself to forget about the cold. The cold was the last thing they should be afraid of.

The lapping of a small stream could be heard ahead.

"You don't suppose he's come this far, do you?" he asked Melody. She shrugged helplessly. They followed along the stream where it enlarged into a river. The water was whooshing faintly beneath the crackling layer of ice over it. Melody's flashlight followed along the ice—and both gasped in horror. An unconscious Hiro was laying half-sprawled out of the water.

"Oh, my goodness!" she whimpered.

Akito knew what she was thinking. Frostbite. Hypothermia. Drowning. The list went on and on of things that could have happened. She ventured out onto the ice, but it immediately began to crack and groan under her heft.

"Let me do this," he told her, yanking her back towards the shore, "I'm lighter and you'll need your strength."

Not trusting the ice to even hold his slight frame, Akito lay down on his stomach and belly-crawled towards Hiro. He grabbed hold of Hiro's coat and hauled him up above the dark, uncaring water with some difficulty. The cold water soaked into his gloves and the sleeves of his coat, but it couldn't be helped. Shivering hard, he turned Hiro over and tried to wake him. Hiro was motionless, his face pale as death in the faint light. Akito's heart began to pound. The adrenaline, nuisance as it usually was, began to flow and ignite his blood. With a great deal of difficulty, as the ice was beginning to crackle beneath him, he began to drag Hiro back towards the bank. Melody was just in front of them. The others were beginning to come towards them—Akito heard shouts and saw the dancing beams of light just a short distance away. Beginning to think they'd be all right, he let Melody take Hiro first. She hauled him up onto the bank and that was when Akito nearly fell through the ice. He had gone to stand up when he'd underestimated his footing. Frightened, Melody hauled him forward and actually lifted him away from the crumbling area.

"You can pick me up all you want after this," he breathed, not caring how silly he looked when she did so.

"Thanks."

Hatori had caught up and was attempting to get Hiro to breathe again. Melody placed both hands on the unconscious boy's chest and focused despite her chattering teeth. After Hiro managed a weak cough, everyone cheered.

"Don't…touch…me…"

They knew, of course, that it wasn't really him talking. His voice was too rough and too deep even for him. Joining hands as always, they tumbled forward into Hiro's mind.

"What in the…?" Akito asked.

There was a clear blue sky and what looked like a very peaceful farm land.

"Be careful," Melody warned him, "there's more to this—"

"There's always more," Akito muttered, "if there's anything I've learned from you, it's not to trust appearances."

"You're right," she answered, "notice how there aren't any animals around?"

They moved forward very carefully and moved as quickly and quietly as possible. At first, the golden wheat fields looked inviting to walk through and it seemed to be easy going. The closer they got, however, the more the wheat seemed to be withered. After a while, it actually looked burned. The house and the barn were charred black, but only the smell of fire remained. Strange walls were standing in places where it didn't make sense for them to be. And there were what looked like thorny plants everywhere.

"This doesn't surprise me at all," Akito announced. Hiro had always been somewhat of a sourpuss. He approached everything with the most snarky attitude possible and was definitely a little punk. Akito had back-handed him more than once when Hiro's attitude had brought out the worst in him. It appeared by the landscaping of his mind that Akito wasn't the only one he put this front up for.

"Poor kid," Melody replied. She and Akito searched the ruins, but there was still no sign of Hiro. They moved in bigger and bigger circles trying to figure out where he was. After what seemed like an eternity, they finally heard something. A pained grunt came from somewhere off to their left. They ventured through what appeared to be an ordinary garden at first, but Akito later referred to it as Hell's Garden because everything in there suddenly seemed to want to kill them in some way or another. Vines wrapped around their limbs and thorns bit into their clothes and skin. Some of the plants even went so far as to try and consume them. Fire blazed from Melody's palm, forcing them to recoil in fear and disgust of the one thing that could harm them. At the edge of the garden was Hiro. The vines there had embedded thorns as long as Akito's finger into the poor kid's flesh and he was bleeding badly. They wrapped more and more tightly around him, but Hiro refused to give them the satisfaction of screaming. Melody spouted more fire from her palms, forcing the hissing vines to retreat. Hiro dropped to his knees, gasping for breath.

Akito knew it was too easy. While Melody healed Hiro, he stood watching and waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"Talk to Father," Melody was saying, "while we've still got a break."

Hiro stared at her incredulously.

"You may have gotten all the others to go along with it, but I don't believe in some invisible guy in the sky," he said emphatically, "I just want to go home."

"Melody?" Akito asked, alarmed. The thorny vines were healing themselves and seemed to be multiplying in number. Melody helped Hiro up and dragged him backwards.

"Did you believe in this stuff before it happened?" she asked.

"Well, no," Hiro said, the slight quaver in his voice betraying his fear.

"Is it really so hard to accept that there's an ultimate good as well as this ultimate bad here?" she asked.

"Yes," Hiro said pointedly.

"Would you say you'd believe if you saw him yourself?" Melody asked.

"Maybe."

"Now would be a good time to test that theory. You have nothing to lose—and we'd best hurry because those weeds are spreading!"

They hurried away from the area, but the vines had a mind of their own and were bursting out of the ground at every turn. After a while, the three of them seemed to be trapped.

"Fine! If you're out there, prove it! Make this stuff go away!" Hiro yelled irritably. He'd been trapped here for quite a while and had not been able to escape the monstrous thorns himself. As hard as he tried, he hadn't been able to. He'd tried to burn them only to seem to make them angrier. The sky was growing dark as the thorns closed in on the three of them.

"Please?" Hiro asked as Melody and Akito clung to each other and to him as the thorns became mere inches away, "I feel like an idiot, but can you at least do it for them?"

Suddenly, the ground under them shook and what felt like a shockwave vibrated up through the scorched and parched earth. There was a strange kind of scream as the vines were consumed in a white fire. The blaze surrounded them all for a moment before condensing into a relatively small area.

"That's it?" Hiro asked incredulously. The fire seemed to hear him, for it expanded until it was about the same height and width as him.

"I am not about appearances or impressing anyone," a voice said, seeming to come from within the flames, "however, what was it that you were expecting?"

Hiro shrugged.

"I don't know. Something…bigger. Something scarier and louder and…I don't know…like the movies."

"And that is where they often get it wrong," Father replied, condensing into his human form, "they expect me to do big things. Fire and brimstone from the sky, big and flashy. I have done those things, yes, and periodically, I still do theatrical at times. But so many of the things that I do go undetected by all others except for whom I intended to speak with. My voice can be big and booming as thunder, but it can also be as quiet as a whisper, but no less powerful."

Hiro walked around him, inspecting him.

"Hmm…" he muttered, clearly not convinced.

"I know all about you, Hiro. I know that your skepticism from the world came with certain experiences you've had. You took on a very similar form to the one my son did—you believe that you must appear tough in case anyone finds out about your lamb form. You're afraid that the others won't take you seriously if you appear to be weak. And when those days came that you felt weak, you shut everyone out rather than take the risk of them seeing it. Including those you love the most."

Hiro scowled.

"You use sarcasm, mockery, and biting comments to keep them at arm's length," Father continued, "when all you really want to do is hold them close."

"So what?" Hiro asked sourly.

"I know you believed in me once, too, but the years and their battle scars have kept you from returning," Father answered gently, "you believed me to have abandoned you and Kisa. You asked me one night to keep her safe—and I did, but not in the way you expected. Overwhelmed by the pressure of her life and her inability to express herself drove her into Haru's arms which then drove her to Shigure's. I sent her there."

Hiro stared incredulously.

"That was your big plan? Hurt her and get her out of the way before Akito found out?" he asked, sounding very ticked off.

"No. My plan was for her to confront it, but in gentleness and safety. And she did. Tohru and the others healed her and she was stronger when she went home. And in getting her out of the way, I spared you from Akito's wrath as well."

Hiro looked at the ground.

"I don't blame you for being afraid," Father said gently, "everyone gets afraid. Everyone doubts at one time or another. Everyone feels hopeless. But real faith isn't about putting on a show or anything like that—it's our relationship. It's about the trust that becomes unshakable no matter how bad it looks. In the end, did I really let you down?"

Hiro shook his head.

"You can say you don't believe in me all you want," Father said, venturing closer to him, "but if that were really true, if that were true even in it's smallest measure, you wouldn't have called out to me. You'd have allowed yourself and one of my favorite married couples here to be destroyed without a word."

"Why now then? Why of all the times I wanted to see you did you wait until now when I almost gave up?" Hiro demanded.

"Because that is when you have nowhere to go but up," Father answered, "and since I know humans and I created them, I know how stubborn they can be. That's the only time they give up on their ideas of how it should be and truly learn to trust me."

Hiro's glare had softened.

"And you knew that it was now," he half-asked.

"Of course."

"One more thing. I'm dead. I drowned. What now?"

"If you were dead, Hiro, there'd be no hope and no reason to send these two in after you."

"I'm still alive?" Hiro asked.

"Of course. And there's a lovely girl with orangey-gold hair who is waiting for you," Father said warmly, "let's not make her suffer anymore. I do enjoy our talks—I've missed them. I hope you'll make more time for me in the future."

Hiro gave an uncertain nod before reaching out to touch Father. The shoulder and chest felt solid enough.

"One more thing. If you really know everything, what did I want to give Kisa for Christmas?"

It was something he hadn't told anyone at all. There was no way anyone would guess.

"You had a few different alternatives in mind," Father said easily, "you debated on whether to get her the anime series that she's grown fond of. Then you wondered if she'd have outgrown it by the time you got your hands on the DVD. Then, you noticed that she was quite fond of Melody's computer games, so you started saving your allowance up. Then, she played with Squishie in front of you in the garden and confided in you that she wanted a dog more than anything, so you were planning to ask her mother if it was all right if you found her one from the shelter nearby."

Hiro's eyes grew huge.

Melody giggled.

"Scary," he mumbled.

"Not when you get used to it," Father replied, "let's get you home. That body's taken a beating—it needs to be inside in the warm."

They came back with a flash of light. The burned out landscape was replaced with the frozen woods. Akito's hands and feet were going numb as well as his knees where he'd knelt in the snow. Kisa was crying softly in the background. Hatori had moved Hiro out of the water and had wrapped him in several blankets until it was safe for all of them to move. Hiro was awake, but barely. He managed a weak smile when he looked up at Kisa.

"Will you stop crying? It takes more than that to get rid of me."

The others let out a weak laugh born of relief. While Akito wasn't looking forward to what this would do to Melody, he was glad that Hiro would be okay eventually. They made their way home in the wee hours of the morning.

"How do you do this all the time?" he asked Melody, "It's exhausting."

"Father doesn't let us give up," she answered weakly, "not even when it's hard. We know he wins all the time, so we hold onto that."

Her head slumped forward. Akito reached over and squeezed her hand.

"It's hard," he agreed as if she could still hear him, "but we've gotten this far, haven't we? And if you can do it, I will, too. And I'll be here to take care of you and help you get better again."


	36. Chapter 36

It had watched and it had waited. _Patience_, it mused, was a virtue even for a demon in times like these. Now, the angel girl had purged the Sohma house of nine of the lesser demons. At first, it had howled in dismay, frustrated by the knowledge that it would take more than mere possessions to beat her out. It watched in even bigger disgust as Akito himself was drawn to her light. But then, oh, yes, it realized it was all it could to do hold its own against her. Having the others around had been a liability, it mused. Without them, it didn't have to share. And it liked that…

The girl had been weakened considerably by the last one. Barely over Shigure's exorcism, she was forced to free Hiro as well and the consequences were not easily undone this time. It lurked in the shadows as she'd passed out in the car, unaware of its presence. Akito's fear had been obvious, but it was clear that the boy was fighting to keep the faith in what she had said just the same. It was not her time, he repeated to himself, so she would eventually get better.

_Oh yes, Akito, you keep thinking that. You keep thinking that right up to the end. Wrap that blanket of optimism so tightly around you that you asphyxiate from the pressure. _

Melody's consciousness was present, though her body was rendered inert for the time being. She saw it and scowled.

"You have no place here," she'd said, though Akito could not hear, for it was telepathic, "you should get out while you can. It's going to get ugly."

"Ugly is my specialty, my dear. And you would do well to remember that. You love that pathetic little sack of mortal meat? Love him while you can. Either way, you don't get to keep him. Your precious Father won't let you. How fair is that, really? If He loved you so much, He'd let you stay."

"That's not true," Melody said bravely, "and you know it. He'll do what's best for all of us. You're just bitter because you know you've lost already. How does the Lake of Fire sound? Not exactly a vacation home, is it?"

It hissed menacingly at her, but for the time being, it could not truly touch her. The time was coming, it mused, that it would pit its power against her and it would win.

"I don't understand," Hatori sighed, "why won't she come out of it?"

He kept his features carefully arranged into that neutral professional face that Akito really despised, especially in times like this. He, on the other hand, made no attempt to hide his frustrations.

"It's all those damn demons' faults! They know it hurts her so they make her sick!"

He was pacing around behind Hatori, so Hatori didn't see what crashed violently into the wall, but he definitely heard it.

"Akito, breaking things isn't going to help. If anything, you're blowing my concentration and I could be coming up with something useful instead of worrying about you, too."

Akito's "rage-filled" face appeared at his elbow, but the furious young man didn't do anything else destructive. Eventually, his teeth-bared wild-eyed expression melted and he let out a big sigh. Hiro had woken up.

"Stupid girl," Hiro muttered, referring to Melody.

Akito cleared his throat, but Hiro remained unapologetic.

"How can you stand her? She's nauseating. She's as bad as Tohru if not worse. And she's always getting herself into trouble."

Akito walked very calmly, very deliberately over to the side of his bed. He felt a vein pulsing in his forehead, but reigned in the desire to punch Hiro in the face.

"Yeah? She may be all those things," he muttered, "but she healed you. You almost didn't make it, Hiro. So a little bit of gratitude for pulling your sorry butt out of the river would be nice."

Hiro, properly chastened, bowed his head.

"You say you love Kisa," Akito said, his tone gentling a little bit, "but you haven't experienced real love yet. Real love is when they piss you off and you don't do anything about it. Instead, you remember all those times that they made you laugh. Real love is when being right all the time ceases to be important. And it's when you wake up and you appreciate everything they've done for you without asking anything in return and you try to do the same for them. You're young. I get that. You'll learn, though. And I'll bet when she's gone, you'll miss her just like the rest of us do."

Hatori's eyes widened.

"Get some rest, kid. You owe it to that poor passed-out woman over there who can't even fight the fever off because she's given all her strength to you."

Akito returned to the bed. Melody's cheeks were almost purple. Her heartbeat was rapid and weak as her temperature continued to climb.

"This was the same bed I was laying in when you first came here, remember?" he asked quietly, "This was where you began your great crusade to annoy me into letting you stay. And it's where I realized I didn't want you to ever leave me. I've had a lot of time to think in here…I just never dreamed it would be me in this position."

He brushed his palm against her face.

"When I found out that you, all this time, had been my pet dove…you can't imagine how angry I was. But animals don't talk, so it's not exactly as if you lied to me…"

He chuckled lightly.

"For years, nothing changed. I got up. I yelled at a few people. Had my breakfast or argued about it. Stalked around the gardens. Studied for school because I was bored rather than actually wanting to learn. Yelled at more people. Sometimes hurt them…and then Tohru came along and changed everything. In fact, you showed up right around the same time she did. And you were always on my finger like you'd been landing there from the beginning of my life. Now it's unthinkable that I would ever not have you around."

Kana came in.

"How is she?" she asked.

"Bad," Hatori didn't beat around the bush, "but I'm sure she'll wake once the fever breaks. Where is our daughter?"

"Haru and Isuzu volunteered to watch her. They said they needed the practice," Kana said with a slight smile, "and Tianshi just loves them both for it. Last I heard, she was out with her thumb in her mouth. Why she won't do that for us is beyond me."

It felt good to slide into Hatori's arms without fear that he'd suddenly shrink into a seahorse or that Akito would throw something or pitch a fit. Akito merely smiled at them, still holding onto Melody's limp hand.

"How are you doing, Sweetie?" Kana asked.

He shrugged.

"All right, I guess, now that I'm out of those wet clothes. I'll be glad when she wakes up, though."

Much to everyone's surprise including hers, Kana hugged him.

"She's a tough woman. She'll get through this just fine and soon this will all be nothing more than a memory," she assured him, "let us know if you need anything."

"Thank you," Akito said gratefully. Yawning, he stretched out on his side and lay his head on Melody's chest. Being careful not to disturb the tubes and wires, he wrapped one arm around her and closed his eyes for a nap. It was promising to be a long night. Kana retrieved a nearby blanket and spread it over him, carefully tucking in the edges so that it wouldn't slip off if he moved. Hatori watched with a swelling sense of pride and sweetness in his heart—if anyone would have said this would happen a couple of years back, he'd have told them to go get their head examined. Melody had brought them all closer together.

"I hope she doesn't die," Hiro mumbled, rolling over so that he didn't have to look at this mushy stuff.

"Why don't you go and get some sleep? I'll stay with them," Kana told her exhausted husband, "and before you say anything, I am a doctor, too. Though my last husband didn't want me working, I did finish the training."

"Just an hour or two," he said, rubbing his eyes, "then you come and get me."

"All right," she said softly, though she had absolutely no intention of doing so. Settling down with a book, she remembered all those days of university and later months of residency. Always, there had been a pervasive sense of something missing. She was forever grateful that the feeling was gone. Akito, she mused, was not as terrible as he'd presented himself to be. She remembered that fateful day that he'd pitched the vase at Hatori without even thinking and the glass had shattered and injured Hatori's eye. Akito had been so freaked out by this that he'd gotten hysterical. Though she would never consider him blameless for his rage-filled act, she could vaguely understand why he'd been so quick to blame her. Horrified that he'd caused such a terrible injury to the one person he'd loved the most back then, he simply couldn't face the guilt and had placed the blame on her instead. If she hadn't been so terrified herself, she would have seen the frightened little boy in the man's eyes.

He was breathing slowly and deeply. Melody's heart rate seemed to have dropped slightly now that he was there—she'd always been a firm believer in the power of human touch. She often encouraged the patients' relatives to hold their hands, hug them, or stroke their hair simply because of how the person, even unconscious, responded. Having him here with her would probably make her heal faster. If only she could understand what the problem was…

Kana rose from her chair and moved as silently as a shadow towards the sleeping couple.

_Not everything has a scientific explanation,_ she remembered. Melody had prayed for her when poor little Tianshi had been in distress, still thrashing around and struggling for oxygen inside her womb. Perhaps now, she could return the favor. There was certainly no harm in praying. Placing one hand on Melody's arm, she whispered the words to the mysterious Father that she had come to believe more in since meeting Melody. She didn't pray out loud for long, as she was afraid she'd wake Akito up, and her words seemed to be stumbling and awkward anyway. But her heart knew what it wanted to say. That was all that mattered. Content that everything had been done that was possible, she settled back in her chair with her book. It was quite a story—Akito had bought this book some time ago at the coffee shop that he and Melody had gotten attached to. The story featured a blue-eyed hero who was less than perfect, a crazy blonde woman, a dark lady who could send lightning through her fingers, and a man with a somewhat overdeveloped ego but otherwise friendly personality. And a white dragon. The four of them had gone on many adventures and sought to defeat a man with skin as black as his heart who fancied himself a god. About halfway through the book, she decided she'd have to borrow books from him more often. She grinned, knowing Hatori was actually a sucker for dragon stories though he vehemently denied enjoying fictional works.

Hatori moved through the quiet little house. Though it was connected on to the main house, it was its own separate little entity. Kana had moved in, of course, once they were married. Though it was pitch-black in here, he didn't feel intimidated by the shadows. Little memories filled his mind. The first time Kana had ever accidentally hugged him and made him transform, the times after that where she couldn't stand not hugging him and had cradled him as a seahorse in her arms, the late-night talks they'd had on the couch. He glimpsed Tianshi's empty crib, knowing that their baby would be home shortly. Sometimes in the morning just to let Kana sleep, he'd tend to her and had really come to enjoy those times together. She was not yet old enough for solid food, but they'd sit together at the table. He'd have his coffee and he'd lean her against his chest and belly and hold her bottle for her with the other hand. Then, sometimes Kana would make breakfast for both of them and they'd all eat together. Hatori was amused by how fast he'd come to appreciate having toys always laying around and little hair bows and sparkly dresses. He never once dreamed he'd have a daughter or a wife that he'd be able to hold without poofing into an animal. Laying down on the bed fully clothed except for his shoes, he curled around Kana's pillow, comforted by her scent. Within seconds, he was fast asleep.

When he woke again, the pale golden sun was pouring through the window. An adrenaline rush pulsed through his veins as he hurriedly straightened his clothes and put his shoes on. Sprinting towards the hospital wing, he feared that the worst had happened. But all he found was Kana singing to Tianshi as she changed her diaper.

"You were supposed to come and get me hours ago!" he scolded her.

"What for? I had this. I set the alarm and gave Melody the medicine every four hours like you said. I learned from the best, after all."

Tianshi cooed, wiggling her chubby little fists and smiling adorably at her father. Kana closed the tapes on the diaper and tugged her little purple dress back into place. She swung Tianshi up in the air and she shrieked with laughter before being placed in Hatori's arms. He pecked her on the forehead.

"When did you get back? I missed you."

He turned around, suddenly remembering that the others might be sleeping, but they weren't. One of the tables that had wheels on it was parked between two beds. Kisa sat on Hiro's bed eagerly spooning in breakfast while Hiro commented on how dumb the anime was that they were watching. Akito and Melody were in the other bed, of course. Melody was deathly pale, but her eyes were open. Akito was trying to persuade her to eat something, but she didn't have an appetite. Hatori checked her temperature. It was still higher than he was comfortable with, but it wasn't as bad as last night. That was something at least. He gave Melody's shoulder a sympathetic squeeze.

"Iced coffee," he whispered in Akito's ear, "load it with sugar. I bet you anything she drinks it."

He hadn't thought of that. With a grateful smile, he slipped off the bed and kissed Melody's cheek. The poor girl seemed stuck in some sort of daze and her smile was distant, but things would get better. When Kyoko returned, she'd brought more food in.

"Are you trying to fatten us all up?" Kana asked playfully.

"Of course not. But there has to be something to keep you all going," she said warmly, "besides, I've heard my jelly rolls were a big hit."

"The rice is amazing, too," Kisa said.

Akito returned with the coffee cup. Mint and chocolate seemed to be one of Melody's favorite combinations, as he'd seen her use those the most. Besides, he figured those would go the best with the cold coffee. True to Hatori's prediction, she thanked him in a faint voice and sipped at it. At least something was going in…

"The weather report says there's another storm heading in," Kana said, her eyes panning down the laptop screen, "it's a good thing everyone's in here and safe and sound. And that we got another generator in case the first one fails."

It had been a costly investment, but Akito had been glad to make it. Failure of the hospital equipment would be a serious liability.

"How soon?" he asked.

"Within the next day or two," Kana answered, "but I'll bet all the children will be happy. They won't have to worry about school."

Melody's faint smile grew.

"I have to teach them about laundry-basket sledding," she said, "and Snow Wars."

Akito raised an eyebrow.

"Laundry basket sledding?" he asked, curious.

"It was one of the few memories of my previous life I held onto," she answered, "I was at a college campus around this time of year. North America if I'm not mistaken…we didn't have actual sleds so we gathered up a bunch of other stuff. Laundry baskets worked the best if they were big enough, but we also had those big plastic storage bins. Somebody else had a suitcase. We even all slid down the hill in one big bunch on an old mattress that the campus was going to trash because it was ripped in the bottom. And we coated everything with nonstick cooking spray to make our 'sleds' go faster."

"That sounds kind of dangerous," he remarked.

She grinned.

"Just a little. We had to learn how to steer to keep from running into the tree, but the only other one was the spinning and wiping out aspect. But nobody got hurt—we had too many layers of clothes on to bruise or break anything. I don't even remember my friends' names, but I do remember we were out there for at least six hours and we only took a break to attend a church service."

She lay her head back on the pillow, lost in her reverie.

"How long ago did that happen?" he asked, curious.

"Twenty or thirty years…maybe more. I've lost count."

He felt sorry for her then, wondering what it would be like if he woke up tomorrow with that sort of amnesia. But at the same time, any hurts or pains or trials she'd experienced would be gone, too. Maybe it wasn't so bad. His insides squirmed when he realized that she would eventually come to forget him, too.

"Akito, are you feeling all right? You look a little pale," Hatori commented.

"Fine," he muttered, "just…thinking."

He kissed his wife's burning cheek.

"I'll be back shortly," he told her, "there's a few things I need to check on."

"All right," she sighed contentedly. He smoothed the covers over her, knowing she would probably fall asleep again despite the coffee.

Restlessly prowling the halls, Akito watched the sky. It was clear for now, but it wouldn't be long before the snow clouds rolled in.

"Does she really have to forget me, Father? I could live with knowing we're not going to be together, but…"

He sighed. He didn't know what to say or how to express it. And the realization of just how hard he'd made things on Hatori before struck him like a blow to the gut. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. Now was not the time, he reminded himself. He truly hated that Melody was sick today, but she had provided him with a window of opportunity. When she was well again, she'd get her massive snowball fight—besides, he owed Shigure for the last time one of those had broken out. Shigure had dropped a big handful of snow down his back to distract him. Akito grinned mischievously. Melody had said he couldn't hurt anyone—she never said he couldn't tease them in some ways.

Melody stayed in her feverish state for the better part of four days. There were times she'd be awake, but her fever made things hazy and muddled. One minute, she would see either Hatori or Kana sitting in the office next to a lamp at night and then the bright lights would hurt her eyes. She vaguely remembered the rotation of visitors and Akito trying to persuade her to eat. At the most, she'd take two or three bites before she had to quit—her stomach was either feeling heavy like someone had filled it with concrete or she was full-blown nauseated. Food had no appeal to her. The hot, sweet coffees and teas that they gave her were the only things she wanted. At around six in the evening, the fever finally vanished during a nap and she woke feeling more alert than she had in ages.

"Melody, you're awake!" Momiji exclaimed. Before she could say a word, he threw his arms around her and promptly poofed into his rabbit form. Tianshi, who had been in Kana's lap, clapped her little hands together and giggled.

"What are you doing here?" Melody asked, surprised.

_Everyone else is at dinner,_ he said, _but we've all been here. We've been—_

Before he could say anything else, Kyo snatched him off the bed.

"Not now, you little idiot!" he hissed in Momiji's ear.

_Wahhhhhhh Kyo's shaking me!_

Melody giggled.

"Hi, Kyo. It's been a while. How are you and Tohru and Shigure and Yuki doing?"

Plopping Momiji down on a bed across from them and drawing the curtains around him, Kyo replied bluntly, "Better than you by the looks of it. It was all I could do to keep Tohru from moving in here. Akito's been unbearable lately and I didn't really want things to get worse."

"Unbearable how? He hasn't been…you know…has he?"

"No. Not towards us. He's been very temperamental, but no violence," Kyo said, crossing his arms over his chest, "he goes off on his own a lot now. Hatori worries he'll get sick being in the cold so much."

Melody nodded.

"I didn't mean to scare him. It seems like I do that a lot."

Tohru poked her head in the door.

"I found him," Kyo told her.

"Where did he go?" she asked, confused.

"Over there. The little idiot hugged her and transformed. I'll be so glad when he can't get himself into trouble anymore."

Melody giggled.

"I don't care that he turns into a rabbit," she said.

"Maybe you don't, but the girls at school will," he growled.

Melody watched the subtle way his fingers curled around Tohru's when she placed her small hand in his. Kyo would never be the type to be openly affectionate, but the way his gaze softened slightly was enough.

"We should probably tell Akito that you're awake," Tohru said gently, "he's been very worried though he tries not to show it."

POOF!

A second later, Momiji appeared, fully dressed.

"I'll do it! I can run the fastest!"

"Yeah…that's a good idea," Kyo muttered, grateful to be rid of the hyperactive little boy. He shot through the door like a bullet and let it slam, making them all wince.

"I miss that energy," Melody remarked.

She felt the dampness of her gown and made a face.

"If he's coming down here, I'm going to step into the shower," she mumbled.

"You really shouldn't," Kana said, "you might get chilled."

"That wasn't my issue," Melody reminded her, half-joking, "being chilled might be a good thing now."

Seeing that she wasn't going to change Melody's mind, she took out the IV line and brought her some clean pajamas. Once they heard the sound of water running, everyone grinned.

"She has no idea what she's in for," Kana said smugly, "she just made it easier."

"Now if we could just get Shigure to leave the mistletoe alone," Kyo muttered irritably. The dog-spirited man had been making excuses to peck every girl he passed on the cheek.

"She'll be so happy," Tohru said warmly, glad she'd gotten to be a part of the big secret.

Melody scrubbed her hair vigorously. She still felt weak and thin and had to sit down before her legs gave, but she was determined to get clean. Being this sick always made her feel terribly self-conscious about the build-up of sweat. The hot water felt good on her skin and seemed to restore a little of her strength. When she had toweled off and dressed, she felt much better. When she opened the door, she was surprised to find everyone gone.

"Huh?" she asked, confused. Poking her head into the office, she'd wondered if they'd all gone in there.

"Shame on you for keeping me waiting," the cool, dark voice said as the chair swiveled around. To anyone else, this would have sounded intimidating, but Melody knew he was only kidding with her. She slid into his lap, contented. His cool cheek pressed into her warm one.

"Where'd they all go?" she asked.

"The same place we're going. To dinner."

"But I'm in my jammies," she objected.

"You look fine. Come on. You haven't had any solid food in four days. More than that and you'll start looking like me."

"I wouldn't say that's a terrible thing," she said mushily.

"I would," he said, dragging her out the door, "a Melody should look like a Melody."

She couldn't understand why the hallways were so dark.

"Why's it so dark in here? I know the electricity's still on," she said, puzzled.

"Why waste it when no one's around?" he asked evasively.

She stopped in surprise, causing him to bump into her the second she opened the door. The whole dining room was filled with lights and Christmas decorations.

"Goodness…"

"We had to do something while you were out," Kyoko piped up.

Melody giggled.

"I didn't figure you for a Christmas person, Akito," she admitted.

"Neither did I."

It had been a very confusing and somewhat annoying experience. After all the millions of shining balls and angel figurines and lights and icicles, he'd emphatically announced that the girls were in charge of all this stuff and they'd all jumped right in. The boys had just tried to keep out of the way—except for Shigure. He was having too much fun trying to coax Kyo and Yuki into helping. When being nice didn't work, he pulled his "melodramatic puppy" act, which made Squishie join in with her big, dark watery eyes and begging position. Isuzu's morning sickness was abating, but now that she had a bit more energy, she was in "nesting mode" as Tohru called it and Haru had been making every excuse that he could to escape it. Having her in on this project had been a great relief to him, as she finally had something to do with all that energy. Akito had merely stayed out of the way and given his approval on things, though it was only at Tohru's insistence for feedback. And, of course, Momiji had been right there in the way, sometimes a big help but often a big distraction as well. Unknown to his angelic bride, Akito had the entire house done. They were going to show her the rest of it after dinner.

Melody still didn't eat much, but she rearranged the food on her plate so that they wouldn't worry and it looked like she'd eaten more than she had. There was just enough there that the weakness was fading, but not enough to jar her tender stomach. Then, all of them bundled up against the cold.

"Do you really think she should be out here?" Hatori asked cautiously.

"It's just going to take a minute. Goodness…you worry about her like she's Tianshi," Akito responded. Hatori shrugged. Though he was physically only a few years older, it sort of felt like he'd adopted her along with Akito.

"It's snowing!" Melody exclaimed, rushing out to touch the falling flakes with her hands.

"Yes, it's winter, it does that," Akito teased.

"You just wait until there's enough for snowballs," she challenged, "I'm coming after you first."  
"I'm sure you will."

He gave a wave to someone inside. For a second, nobody moved. Then, all the lights came on. Sohma House was bathed in lights as the trees, the fences, and the eaves of the buildings themselves began to glow with various colors. It was such a simple thing, but Melody let out an awed gasp.

"Oh my gosh! It's so pretty!" she breathed, stunned.

"Like it?" he asked.

"It reminds me of Home."


	37. Chapter 37

The snow arrived hard and heavy. At first, no one really wanted to venture outside because the wind was swirling around. The delicate-looking snowflakes quickly turned into what felt like thousands of tiny needles slapping into one's face. Released from the hospital wing, Melody was grateful to make it back to their shared room to recover. She had grown used to sleeping beside Akito and the little hospital beds were terribly limited in space. Squishie, of course, was ecstatic to be around her again and refused to leave her side. As she continued to help Isuzu edit her latest work, she had to keep shoving Squishie off her lap.

"You big hairy distraction!" she playfully scolded the dog. Squishie bark-sang in response. Akito chuckled when he came in.

"That's the only dog I've ever met that you could lose an argument to—and Shigure talks!" he mused. Melody giggled.

"Why don't you take some time off? You've only been up for a couple of days," he said, peering over her shoulder at the computer screen.

"I tried," Melody said reluctantly, "I just…I can't stand laying around doing nothing. Even if I'm laying down, I want my mind to be busy."

He couldn't say he blamed her. Sitting next to her, he smoothed a stray curl back from her cheek.

"You know, Christmas is only around one week away," he reminded her, "have you decided what you want?"

He expected some really annoyingly noble answer, as she could be irritatingly humble at times. But she surprised him yet again.

"Truthfully? I remembered that art museum that you took me to not too long ago. I kept thinking about all those colors and how amazing all those paintings were. I draw all the time, but I've never tried painting before. Maybe some stuff to do that with," she answered, "especially Father's sunsets…I don't know that I could ever mix colors like that, but I'd certainly try my best."

He nodded, taking mental notes. He didn't know anything about art, but this place was big enough that someone around here was bound to be able to help him. Then, he remembered the thirteen stones that Shigure had painted the animal figures onto. Perhaps the dog-spirited man could give him a hand with her presents.

"What about you?" she asked him.

He shrugged. People gave him gifts all the time—he always regarded them with a certain degree of apathy.

"I haven't really thought about it," he admitted, "we haven't really done anything with Christmas here in years."

Melody finished arranging things on the page. One of Isuzu's poems was there and it curved around a sketch of Isuzu and Haru together. Akito nodded in approval.

"She'll love that."

Melody clicked the "save" button and closed the laptop.

"I'm curious about something," she said finally, "what was your biggest dream? The biggest most impossible thing you've ever wanted?"

He was confused as to the abrupt change in subject, but didn't mention it. Chewing on his lower lip for a second, he thought about it. From the time he was old enough to walk, those white birds in the garden had always followed him around. If Melody had been twenty or thirty years since she was fleshed, she hadn't always been among them. He remembered as a little boy being envious of their beautiful snow-white wings.

"Don't laugh," he warned her, "but I wanted to be a bird. I saw them always coming and going where and when they wanted and even when the maids chased them away, they could come back and there was nothing that could be done about it. They could fly and go places that I couldn't. I remember them perching on my hands and wondering where they'd been all day, how far they'd actually gotten. I wondered if they'd seen the ocean or other countries. And then I'd dream of being able to fly. Ren always said they were stupid dreams."

The venom in his last sentence was evident.

"She used to tell me I ought to get my head out of the clouds," he continued, "and she didn't want the others encouraging my 'fairy-tales' as she put it. But I snuck out one day and I asked Kureno how it felt and if I could go with him. He gave me this sad smile and said it was wonderful—he'd go hug girls on purpose from behind and see how far he could get before he changed back. I chewed him out a lot for it once I got older, but I was so jealous."

He looked down at his hands in his lap.

"It's silly, I know," he admitted guiltily, "as loaded as we are, I could hire a helicopter or a small private plane to take me, but it wouldn't be the same."

But Melody, of course, was smiling.

"I don't think it's silly at all," she replied, "dreams aren't silly. Father gives them to us to keep us alive. Being alive is more than just having a heartbeat or air going in and out of your lungs—it's about your mind, too."

He kissed her on the forehead.

"You'd make a great mother, you know that? You're so good with the kids and telling stories and everything else."

Her smile was sad, but also very flattered.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"Does it ever cross your mind? Having a baby, I mean," he said awkwardly, his gaze involuntarily drawn to the top dresser drawer where he knew her birth control pills were.

Melody's hand curled around his.

"Of course," she answered quietly, "but I'm not going to be around long enough. My body's struggling as it is. I wouldn't have enough time to carry it to full-term. Besides, with all this negative energy building up in there, Father only knows what it would do to the child."

She looked up at him with those heart-breakingly green eyes.

"If I were human—really human, maybe," she said, "I'd be honored to bring your descendants into the world. They'd be beautiful, there's no doubt in my mind."

Akito had never much liked children, not even when he'd been a child himself. The babies were noisy, smelly, and always sending goo out of one or both ends. The older ones broke things, yelled, cried, and generally made a nuisance of themselves. But he was softening up inside—even when Tianshi had violently puked on him a few days ago, he'd forgotten about it relatively quickly. He was more concerned that she had gotten so sick in the first place. He didn't remember the annoying things she did so much as he remembered her smile and the first time she'd ever laughed or how even a "cool" guy like Hatori turned into absolute mush when she was in the room. The little girl had the ex-dragon wrapped around her tiny fingers. When Melody volunteered to watch her, he could imagine for a few seconds at a time that one day it might be them. And he ached to tell her what the red-haired angel had said, but he had promised. Maybe once his own demon had been displaced it would become real.

"That reminds me," Akito said, "Tianshi crossed my mind and the New Year will be here soon after that—guess who's turn it is to do the Zodiac dance?"

"I don't know," Melody admitted guiltily. He had once told her the order that the zodiac animals had arrived in, but she'd since forgotten.

"It's going to be year of the Dragon," Akito said mischievously, "which means Hatori's turn is this time around."

They shared a mutual chuckle: Akito because of the costume Hatori would have on and the idea that he'd be dancing in public and Melody because she knew Hatori didn't like a lot of attention on himself.

"Poor Hatori," Melody sighed, "I truly do want to see it, but do you really think we ought to make him?"

"It'll be worth it, I promise," Akito grinned, "and Shigure, being the writer, will tell the story just before it happens. Each of the animals has their own perspective on the race and what they were doing or thinking when it happened. I know you and stories."

Melody couldn't help but smile at that.

"I've never been to a Chinese New Year," she said, "I'm so glad I finally get to see it for myself."

Christmas dawned cold and silvery due to the snow, but this one was much more gentle. Akito was awake before anybody else in the house was—even the maids. It was still dark when he rose and put his kimono and slippers on. It was dreadfully cold and a part of him yearned to dive back under the covers and squash against Melody's side for warmth, but he didn't want to wake her with his shivering. Besides, if he moved around, he knew he wouldn't feel so cold. Squishie raised her head. Before she could bark, he picked her up.

"Listen, you little mop with legs," he hissed in one raised ear, "you'd best be quiet or I really will turn you into a duster. Got it?"

Squishie wagged and licked his cheek, making him grimace in disgust. Dog-breath was always at its worst in the morning.

"Come on," he motioned her to follow him. He let her outside, though she was reluctant to step through the snow. While she was outside plodding through the deep drifts, he dumped a small cupful of dry dog food in her bowl and made sure that her water dish was filled. He wondered why she was so picky about having snow on her paws when she'd act like a drug addict everytime someone dropped an ice cube in her water. Dogs were so weird…

Distracted by her breakfast, Squishie remained in the kitchen while he waited by the front door. The truck drove in—thankfully, the guys he was paying to keep the driveway shoveled were more than earning their wages. Otherwise, it would have been impossible to get here. Four guys got out and started hauling boxes inside. Akito signed the clipboard and watched them pile up underneath the massive Christmas tree that he and Melody had helped decorate the day before. Every single item that went underneath was pre-wrapped in a vast array of colors, textures, and ribbons. Content that his last surprise was in place, he thanked them and watched as they stared in stunned realization at who he was.

"That's Akito," one of them whispered, though Akito could still hear. Akito shrugged and closed the door. By the time they had finished putting everything in the massive living room, the maids were up and about, all gawking at the mountain of gifts. There hadn't been enough room under there, so they were spreading in all directions. Akito said nothing, just smirked at their amusement. Perhaps they did not know him as well as they thought they did.

"Well…somebody's been busy!" Kyoko chirped, "I was wondering why Squishie was out so early."

"She probably wants to know which one is hers," Akito said, amused. Then, he lunged forward and snared the dog by her hind legs. She stared at him, wide-eyed.

"Don't give me those big dark eyes! I saw what you were about to do!" he scolded her. She whined and lay down by his feet, trying to look as pitiful as possible.

"What was she going to do?" Kyoko asked.

"She's been trying to tear off the ribbons," Akito said irritably, "the dumb thing started that crap when the first batch got here. It was all I could do to keep her out of there and keep an eye on things. I think I'll just put her back in with Melody. She'll get in the way anyway."

"Since you're up, would you do me the honor of sharing some breakfast with an old woman?" Kyoko asked cheerfully.

"Sure."

He hauled Squishie back to their room and plopped her on the rug before sliding the door closed. There were times he really could love her, but mostly he just wanted to punt her across the yard. Satisfied that she wouldn't bother anyone else, he went back to the kitchen. Kyoko and the others were starting on the preparations for dinner. There would be several mouth-watering roast ducks and chickens along with several other traditional dishes as well as a few Western things he hadn't tried yet. Kyoko was shaping batter into little cakes.

"Bother! My hands aren't what they used to be," she sighed when one of the dough-balls plopped onto the tiles. She stooped to wipe the mess up. Akito felt bad for her—she was trying her best, but her arthritis was often worse in the morning.

"Do you want some help?" he asked. At the rate they were going, they'd be lucky to get these cakes in the oven today.

There was a loud crash in the background as someone dropped a bunch of dishes. Scowling, Akito turned around.

"Could you keep it down?! People are still sleeping!" he hissed. The guilty ones began cleaning up their mess and a tidal wave of whispers had begun. Akito even being in the kitchen was unheard of, let alone _cooking._ Ignoring them, he began to roll the dough around in his hands, patting them into smooth cakes.

"Thank you so much," Kyoko said gratefully, "you have no idea how much just one pair of hands helps out."

"I think I do," he admitted, thinking of Melody with a soft smile. He had to take his own plain wedding band off to scrub the dough away from it, but it shone softly when he put it back on. There was a tiny dove's silhouette engraved on it. Once that little chore was taken care of, they ate together in the dining room at the end of the long table. Akito didn't eat much because he was too excited—the feeling had been steadily growing all morning. He felt like a child again—like the child he'd been before Akira had passed away. It was a hopefulness he never dreamed he'd feel again.

When Melody finally awoke and came looking for him, the look on her face alone was worth it. She took about a hundred pictures of just the Christmas tree alone. All the people she caught on camera easily amounted to at least another hundred. She eagerly taste-tested a lot of the things in the kitchen until Akito gently led her out.

"I know," he said, "it smells good in there and you smell it more than the rest of us. But if we don't leave now, there won't be any food left when it's actually dinner time."

She took his teasing well and ribbed him right back: "You're just saying that so that you'll beat me to the egg rolls!"

The children of the household were awake and dressed by now and they were all rowdy and hyper from the prospect of all the presents they saw under the tree and all the desserts that they knew they'd get after dinner.

"It's time!" Melody announced, "Everybody go find something to sled with!"

She had two cans of nonstick cooking spray. Hoping they wouldn't end up breaking their necks, Akito reluctantly showed her where the steepest hill was. Isuzu reluctantly declined the sledding because of the baby, but she did offer to help the littler ones build a snow-fort while everyone else was doing it. Melody whistled loudly to get all of their attention.

"It doesn't look like we can do more than a couple of you at a time without everyone crashing into each other," she said, "so we'll have to take turns. Who volunteers to go first?"

It was a big hill. Everyone was excited, but they were scared, too. Finally, Momiji popped out of the crowd.

"I'll do it! I'm not afraid!" he exclaimed.

"Figures," Akito mumbled.

"All right. Here's what we're going to do."

Melody took the blue plastic laundry basket he carried and coated the bottom liberally with the spray. She placed it in the snow and Momiji got in. Though he was very small in stature, his knees were still tucked up to his chin.

"Now," she told him, "you'll be breaking the path, so it may get stuck a little on the way down. Just hold on tight and try not to wipe out, all right? Say when!"

"When!" he exclaimed. Melody placed her foot on the end of the basket and nudged it with all her might. Momiji rocketed down the hill, picking up speed the further he went. He let out a whoop of joy, but it was tragically cut short as he ended up nose-diving into a big drift. Everyone else cracked up.

"I'm okay!" he called.

Kisa was next, but she wouldn't go without Hiro. Akito cracked up when he saw the enormous old-fashioned suitcase. Kisa sat in one side and Hiro sat in the other. It took both him and Melody to push them so that the case wouldn't spin from unequalized pressure. By the time they got to the bottom, Kisa had spilled out and Hiro was left somehow laying on his back with his feet in the air. Hatori had turned up, sure that some sort of accident was inevitable. He said they would need a doctor on hand. Melody snidely replied that he just didn't want everyone to know how much he himself wanted to do it.

"Ready?" she asked Akito.

"I don't really feel like breaking any bones," he said breathlessly, still sore from laughter.

"Aw, come on!"

A second later, he was crammed into a white storage bin.

"I can't believe I let you talk me into this," he muttered. Melody nudged him and suddenly the world began to streak by in blue and white blurs with trees being the occasional black smudge. A hysterical burst of laughter escaped his mouth as wind blew into his partially-closed eyes. Much to his horror, the bin began to spin. Then, everything tumbled end over end until he finally came to rest in the snow.

"Whoah! Are you all right?" Melody called. Akito attempted to stand up, but the world was still spinning.

"I'm…I'm fine…"

THUD!

An unfamiliar laugh exploded from the crowd. Melody looked up to see who it belonged to. Much to her shock, it came from Hatori. He was doubled over, his long, lean arms clutching over his jiggling gut. And the worst part was how contagious it was—everyone else got tickled just by hearing him.

Akito finally made it back up the hill with the bin.

"Glad I've amused you so much, Hari," he said mischievously, "so that means you can go now."

"No, I really couldn't," he objected when he was able to breathe again, but the crowd of children goaded him on.

"What's the matter, my mighty dragon? Scared of a little snow?" Akito taunted him.

"Of course not," Hatori retorted, "I've lived with you since you were born. Nothing scares me anymore."

A chorus of "oooohs" echoed through the woods.

"Prove it," Akito said smugly.

"Fine."

It was hard to find a storage big enough to fit his long, lanky frame in, but they did it.

"Can we hurry this up please? It's awfully cramped in here," Hatori said.

"Just a minute," Akito said, snapping his picture, "Kana will love this!"

He gave the bin a mighty shove. Poor Hatori didn't stand a chance—the bin started spinning about halfway down the hill. Then, it turned over on its side and Hatori had a face-full of snow by the time he reached the bottom of the hill. Everyone was cheering him on, though he didn't quite know why.

After they were tired of sledding, they used the lids from the bins as shields. It was the most massive snowball fight that Sohma House had ever seen. Akito had a dangerously good arm, as they were all aware, and none of them wanted to be on his opposing team. Melody couldn't throw to save her life, she was laughing too hard. She was quite good at shielding, however, so she did much more defensive movements.

"I'm getting hungry again," Momiji announced.

"I gotta go to the bathroom," one of the small kids announced.

"Let's take a break," Akito agreed, "we can always come back after lunch."

He was tired—physically, he was more worn out than he could ever remember. His sides ached from laughing and his arms and legs ached from exercise. And he was hungry! Good Lord, when he had he been this hungry before? He could hardly wait to strip away the snow-encrusted outer layers of clothing and dig into the hot rice and other goodies that surely awaited them. When he went to the bathroom to wash up, he noticed that there were other things going on, too. His usually milk-white face had a rosy tint to it. His cheeks were like apples and his nose was redder than a cherry. His eyes were sparkling like a child's and his hair was sticking out in all directions. He scrubbed at it with a towel, as the melting snow would make him get a chill if he didn't. After he'd smoothed it back down, he went to join the others at the table. Everything tasted wonderful and he eagerly devoured probably three times as much as he ordinarily would. After everyone had finished eating and all the dishes cleared away, they all stampeded out the door again. Usually, he hated this kind of weather because he got cold so easily, but Akito was warm from the top of his scalp to the tip of his toes. All working together, they constructed a fantastic snow castle and Melody suggested that they make all the zodiac animals. She made sure that the cat was included as well.

"What's this one?" he asked, noticing Momiji trying to shape a very vague lumpy semblance of a person into a less lumpy version.

"You," he answered immediately, "you didn't think we were going to leave you out, right Tohru?"

"Right," she agreed.

Akito had never felt such a strange combination of flattery and guilt.

"Only if you make Melody, too," he said.

"Oh, that's easy! Watch!"

Melody flumped down in the snow beside the Akito-in-progress and fanned her arms and legs. She'd made a snow angel. Everyone giggled.

"Very cute," Akito said sarcastically.

All too soon, the sky turned from silver to rosy and purple.

"It's time to go home!" Akito announced. A chorus of disappointed groans rumbled through the ranks.

"I guess you don't want your presents, then," Melody chimed in. That certainly changed their tune. They all streamed back down the path, now worn with many, many footprints, and took off their wet coats, hats, scarves, and boots in the entryway. It was good to sit down at Christmas dinner. Hardly any of them had ever done the blessing of the food, but Melody, of course, took care of that.

"I know you're hungry," she said, still standing while the rest of them bowed their heads, "so I'll keep it short. But it's important to remember the real reason why we're here."

They waited.

"Thank you, Father, for this meal, the hands that prepared it, and all the ones we're sharing it with. Thank you for these people that I've come to know and love so much and the times we've had together. Please bless everyone in this room along with all the ones that couldn't be here now and help us to keep You in our hearts all year around. Amen."

For several minutes, nothing could be heard but the clinking and clattering of serving spoons dipping into pots. Chopsticks clicking against the sides of bowls as well as spoons could be heard as well. Then, as their appetites were checked, the occupants of the dining room began to talk. Melody dropped a scrap of meat under the table for Squishie even though Akito shook his head.

"Aww, come on. It's Christmas," she said.

"You're spoiling her," Akito reminded her, "she'll expect it all the time now that you've done that."

"Yeah. Shame on me," Melody said impishly, "I spoil you all the time and you never complain."

Shigure chuckled.

"She has got a point!" he said.

"Two words," Akito returned saucily, "Tohru Honda."

Shigure clammed up after that. Akito chuckled, satisfied that he'd won that verbal sparring match. He saw Kyo trying to persuade Tohru to try something and feeding her a bite of whatever it was. Yuki and Kagura sat beside each other, talking away about something. He didn't think he'd ever seen Yuki talk that much…he switched on his second sight that Melody had given him. There did seem to be a lot going on. He nudged Melody under the table and tilted his head in their direction. Melody grinned.

"Bound to happen eventually," she said around a mouthful of pasta.

Across the room, they caught sight of Ritsu. He had brought Mitsuru with him and she was laughing at something he'd said. Ritsu's eyes had The Shine as Melody called it. It wouldn't surprise Akito if he came around soon asking about marriage. Not that he needed to, really.

After everyone had dessert and loosened their belts a notch or two, they all streamed into the enormous living room. Shigure and Tohru volunteered to hand out all the gifts. The children were given theirs first just because they were all too excited to sit still for very long. Even Squishie got her own package—Akito laughed as she began to shred the paper with her teeth. Even after she'd freed her new chew toy from its decorative trappings, she preceded to "help" the others with their gifts as well.

"She really loves Christmas," Melody giggled.

"She likes the paper because it's the one time I don't threaten to kick her out over tearing something up," Akito corrected her.

There were a great number of gifts that were tagged for both of them to share such as new games (he still playfully complained to Melody that she'd gotten him addicted to video games). Only a few items apiece were meant for them as individuals. Melody, of course, was gushing over the starter set of acrylic paints and the large variety of brushes and canvases. She hugged him so hard that he was sure she'd bruised him, but he was used to those hugs by now.

"You'll get yours tonight," she told him, "when everyone else has gone to bed."

He ended up waiting a very, very long time, as they all watched movies and nibbled on treats like chocolate despite having such an enormous dinner. Finally, the house grew quiet again and the gift-paper and empty boxes were cleared away. For a while, they sat in the dark, bathed only in the glow of the Christmas lights.

"So," he said contentedly, listening to Melody's heartbeat as they reclined on the couch, "you said something about how I get my present when things settle down?"

"Of course," she said softly, "come with me."

She led him down the hallway to their room. His belly squirmed in anticipation as she slid the door closed, then reached around and unzipped the back of the dress she had worn to dinner. Watching the clock on the mantle, she said, "Do you know what happens on Christmas Day?"

"I remember that story about Jesus being born that you told us earlier," he said, puzzled.

"It's a little more than that," she answered, "it's when the barrier between Heaven and Earth is the thinnest. It's also when there happen to be more of my kind around and when we can get away with being a bit more of ourselves than usual."

He watched the second hand tick closer to midnight. The clock chimed a merry little tune and there was an odd squelching noise. Staring, he watched as two webs of flesh protruded from her back and extended out farther and farther until they went wider than her arm-span. Then, thousands of feather-shapes flowed down her skin as if being drawn by invisible hands. The feathers became white and lifted off of the flesh, leaving her with two enormous white wings. Her skin had an odd iridescent sheen to it and the blue in her hair seemed more pronounced. She turned to face him.

"For one night," she said, her voice taking on a strange ethereal quality, "you will be an angel, too."

She touched his hand and he felt an odd feeling cascading through him. It was as if he'd become weightless. As soon as he thought it, he realized he was floating!

"Whoah! How did you do that?!" he asked nervously.

She grinned.

"Come on," she said, rising until she was level with him, "we've got work to do!"

"Melody, we can't go through the ceiling," he warned.

"Can't we?"

Before he had a chance to object, they were already through. It was the strangest feeling that Akito had ever experienced—he could literally feel the solid ceiling and insulation and roof passing through his body. The cold wind and the swirling snow had no effect on him—he was wraithlike.

"Oh, my God…" he gasped, stunned beyond words.

"That's the one," she said cheekily, "and now, we fly!"


	38. Chapter 38

Akito whooped for joy as they sailed effortlessly through the air. Though he did not have wings of his own, he was still weightless and free of gravity for one night. He was not tired or sick or otherwise burdened. He felt more free than he ever realized possible. They sailed up and up and up above the tree tops and even above the very clouds themselves. The cold black sky frosted with millions of silvery stars was their ceiling, the carpet of thick gray clouds illuminated by the moon their carpet. Forget food, forget medicine, forget sleeping in, even forget sex—this was the happiest he'd ever been.

"Where are we going, anyway?" he finally got around to asking. He'd been tumbling through the air, doing some impressive acrobatic tricks that he didn't think himself capable of. After doing many rolls, tumbles, and somersaults, he'd finally calmed down and the hysterical-happy laughter and shrieks had died down.

"Just a few errands for Father," Melody said, "even though some of us receive really big tasks, all of us are on duty tonight. Why do you think 'the Christmas spirit' is a thing? It's because of this."

Several glowing blurs streaked past. Akito actually managed to get a good look at them without the limits of earthly vision. One of them seemed to be several animals stuck together. Another was a ring with no other facial features but endless eyes. Still others had six wings—some to cover their feet, some that they flew with, and some that their faces were hidden with. Each one was more bizarre-looking than the last, but all of them had a very strange and alluring beauty. He couldn't stop staring. Some looked like Melody—they had wings, but were otherwise human-esque and some had no wings at all.

"Are all of these angels?" he asked, wide-eyed.

"Yep," Melody responded, "and I know every single one of them."

"I thought…"

"Yeah, I know," she said with a laugh, "my appearance is actually a stereotype, but there aren't many of us that actually look like me. In fact, I'm in the minority up there. These others are actually more common."

"Wow…"

He hadn't really predicted Heaven to be such a diverse place. Apparently, he had underestimated it.

"Where are they all going?" he asked.

"They're helping," Melody replied, "just the same as we're going to do. And here's our first one."

She dove so quickly that Akito had trouble keeping up with her. Then, when he reached her side again, he could see why she'd been in a big hurry—there was a car teetering precariously on a bridge. The car had hit the wall and knocked part of the bridge down and was now in danger of plunging into the icy water. A frightened mother and her two children were crying, too scared to move for fear they'd tip the car.

"Ready?"

"Ready," he agreed, "can they see us?"

"No."

He shrugged. Melody placed her hands under one of the front tires and he put his hands under the other one. With an amazing amount of strength that he never realized he had, he lifted. The rusty railing of the bridge creaked and groaned as the underside of the car scraped it, but they were at last back on solid ground. The kids were screaming because they felt the car move, but when they finally realized they were back on solid ground, they became screams of joy.

"We did it!" Akito exclaimed as a police car came up to investigate.

"Yep," Melody answered, "and we're gonna keep doing it for a while. Let's go."

They went all over the world in a matter of hours. They helped a homeless man in Africa find a place to stay—Melody had used what she called a "manipulation of intuition" by giving him a "feeling" to go to a certain family's house. Akito hauled a drowning child out of the water. The two of them actually crashed a wedding and foiled a guest who'd been intending to cause problems. They caught a woman who was trying to kill herself by jumping off a bridge and set her safely down on the ground only to discover her sister who had come to reconcile with her. They helped a lost dog find its way home again where the owners were frantic and worried. They watched a baby come into the world that almost didn't make it, but Melody had only to kiss it on the mouth, breathing a little of her essence into it and making it live again. They settled into the pews of a church and listened to a choir sing a couple of hymns. All the while, they were invisible to all and as insubstantial as smoke.

"I think I know what you mean," Akito said finally as Christmas Day officially ended and gray morning was on the horizon, "about a feeling being so big that you're too small to hold it all in."

Melody just grinned. The view of the sunrise from up here was amazing—Akito had wanted to watch it above all the snow clouds and they watched as the spectacular colors came into view. Then, he felt himself sinking.

"Time's up," she said quickly, "let's go before we turn solid again and crash through the roof!"

He was loathe to give up the power of being able to fly, but he had no choice. At least he had experienced it. Facing each other with clasped hands, they sank back through the ceiling of their room and landed as gently as feathers on their bed. The solidness came back.

"Wow…" he breathed, "…I don't know what to say other than this was the best Christmas I've ever had."

She grinned and hugged him.

"I'm glad," she said warmly, "and I'm glad that Father was willing to let me do that—you're the only human who's experienced it while they were awake. Usually, he only lets us do that when the person's unconscious or…well…dying. He made an exception for you."

"Tell him thanks," Akito said gratefully. Thoroughly exhausted, he was content to go to sleep for a few hours. Though Christmas was over now, there would still be plenty to come in the future. He would never forget this as long as he lived.

Now that Christmas was over, preparations for New Year's were already underway though the Chinese New Year was one month later than the Western New Year. Even Akito, who had a love-hate relationship with parties couldn't help but be a little excited about it. Shigure dropped by often, Melody suspected, just to give Hatori a hard time about his upcoming dance.

"Shigure, if you don't have a legitimate excuse to be in here, I will give you one," Hatori had retorted after Shigure had turned up, yet again, at his office. Melody cracked up laughing.

"You may not have the spirit of the dragon in you anymore," Shigure said with a wince, "but you've certainly got the attitude of one."

January was much milder than December. There were a few days where the snow actually melted away, though sometimes it would just pile right back up again. Akito had probably gotten more exercise in the last two months than he could ever remember having. He could run considerably faster after a time and could go much longer without getting tired. His appetite increased exponentially and he slept very well at bedtime without the strange and vivid dreams that he used to have. His skin took on a healthy rosy tinge and he wasn't nearly so emaciated-looking. He would probably always remain small, but at least his ribs were starting to get much less pronounced. Melody even remarked that he was getting softer to hold. In the time between Christmas and New Year's, he had only one porphyria attack and it was much milder than his previous cases.

The next two to be freed were Momiji and Kureno. Momiji's demon came forward just as the last of December faded into January. His father commented that he'd been behaving somewhat oddly—unlike the others who had been angry and somewhat violent, the usually good-spirited Momiji had been suffering some depression and had cried a lot. At first, they thought his voice was cracking a lot because he was right at the age where it was due to start deepening from puberty. Closer investigation revealed that this was not the case—when he pulled away from Tohru, whom he usually couldn't wait to hug, they all knew something was very wrong.

"I'm sorry," he pleaded, "I just…I can't…"

"It's all right," Tohru said softly, "you'll feel better when Melody gets here."

When they reached the house, it was odd to see all the shades drawn against the cheery winter sunshine. Momiji's father was both anxious and heartbroken because he had been unable to help Momiji. Melody assured him that it would be a simple enough matter, that he had no need to fear. Bracing herself for what would probably be a very rough couple of days, she and Akito sat on either side of Momiji and entered his mind.

"What on earth?" Akito asked.

The setting was a carnival. While there were bright colors splashed everywhere, the place had a very sinister feel to it. The further in they walked, the more decayed and decrepit their surroundings got. It also got to the point where the people were that way as well. Examining everything closely, Akito began to form a theory about the energetic little bunny: "He hides it, doesn't he? All the things that make him unhappy."

"Of course," Melody answered as the music grew discordant, "he prefers not to focus on the negative, which is very commendable. And he's mature enough to know when to ask for help, which is why he was the one who called us. I don't think he'll be nearly as difficult as Hiro."

Momiji was found in the center of the carnival. The moment they reached him, the last clinging illusions of cheerfulness were gone. They melted away, revealing grotesque and distorted forms all around them. Momiji himself had distorted into a form similar to Kyo's "true" form. People were pointing and laughing at him. The demon, Akito assumed, was the ringmaster who was trying to goad him into attacking them.

"Melody? Akito?" Momiji asked, voice still wavering. He slowly lowered his hands, revealing a monstrous face. But those big brown eyes were still there—there was no mistaking them. Tears the size of golf balls were rolling down his cheeks. He had lash-marks in his leathery dark skin and shards of glass sticking out. Akito was sickened by this.

"It's all right now," Melody told him, "we've come to take you home. But first we need you to bring Father here to help us."

"Melody?" Akito asked nervously. The "ringmaster" had noticed them and was advancing on them.

"How do I get him here?" Momiji asked.

"You ask him," Melody said, "that's all. You accept him as your true Master and this guy over here won't be able to stay and trouble you any longer. He hates the light—that's why he's staying out of the spotlight and putting you there instead."

"Okay," Momiji said nervously, "Father? Are you out there?"

The ringmaster had shouted an order to the others and suddenly grotesque forms were pressing in on all sides. They were attempting to pull Melody and Akito away from Momiji as he shouted above their hisses, growls, and gurgles.

"Chain them! Keep them here for all eternity! Yes, they are just as valuable to me as this one is!" the ringmaster laughed. It was then that Melody got a good look at him. He wore a mask and an over-sized hat to hide his true identity. The mask was creepy, an exaggeration of a smile, but it was false. Underneath, she saw a sliver of pruned and blackened skin. No doubt he had fed on Momiji's urges to keep everyone happy all these years, all the while denying himself the things he really wanted. He had stayed away from his mother and sister all because he didn't wish to cause them pain. Momiji had lived with that rejection every single day all the while pretending it was what he wanted.

"I…I know you're there…I just can't see you…I want to, though…" Momiji pleaded, "the way the others talk about you…you were like the traveler that gave everything up so that others would be happy…"

Suddenly, the crowd parted and the noise that had reached a feverish pitch died away. A man, seemingly ordinary at first, ventured through the crowd and easily pushed them aside. Akito's eyes grew wide—he had just punched one of the demonic creatures in the face and his fist hadn't yet left contact with the creature's leathery skin.

"I remember him…" Akito whispered.

That day in the garden, Melody had shown him the one who truly knew what sacrifice was. The same man was coming towards them now. There were thick scars on the backs of his hands and in the palms. They were also on his feet, but that wasn't the most striking feature about him. He seemed very ordinary, very nondescript, and yet there was nothing ordinary about him. His dark eyes were kind and never once strayed from Momiji though there were plenty of other distractions all around.

"Momiji…yes, I knew we would be speaking soon," the man said, "although I'm sure you'd have liked better circumstances."

Momiji's hands stayed over his face, but his dark eyes met Father's Son's gaze.

"I asked for help and I got it," he said quietly, "I'm not going to complain."

"A wise thing to say," the dark-eyed man responded, "Father Himself is here, too. But I wanted to see you for myself."

Father's familiar human form appeared on the other side of Momiji.

"You two have a great deal in common," Father said, placing a hand on Momiji's shoulder, "you've both given up a lot in the name of love. And you both had faith in things that you couldn't always see. For that, I applaud you. And I am glad to call you one of my own."

Momiji's horrible, grotesque, distorted form melted away until the real him was standing there in the light. The demonic creatures fled, unable to stand the spotlight, which was growing brighter. The "ringmaster" hissed and backed away.

"You! You were the one who abandoned me!" he snarled.

Jesus's expression was neutral, but he turned and made a sweeping motion.

"Depart from me," he said calmly, "for I never knew you."

The demon exploded, literally. A hot orange mushroom cloud set the interior of the tent on fire, burning down all the decay and distortion.

"No more hiding," Father said to Momiji as he lowered his hands, "you are one of the few here who carry the light inside you, the light of love and truth. Do not be ashamed of it. And don't be afraid to ask for help, even if it's just a listening ear."

They hugged and the room dissolved into light. Momiji's tears were drying and his radiant smile had returned.

"Well, now he's going to be twice as annoying!" Kyo muttered, though his smile betrayed him as Momiji hugged Tohru and Melody without poofing into a rabbit. As a naturally affectionate little boy, his curse had always been a very great hindrance to him. Now, he didn't have to be afraid anymore, especially at school where he loved making new friends and comforting people.

Kureno, on the other hand, was a bit more of a trial. Melody had never gotten to know him as well as the others, for he had often kept to himself. The red-haired boy was as much of a mystery to her as he was to the others and he didn't really feel comfortable talking to her. Akito had been quite rough with him in the past, so he was afraid of becoming her friend. The day of his freeing came quite unexpectedly one day as Melody approached him with her digital camera.

"Hi, Kureno! Can I borrow a minute of your time?"

He glanced up at her.

"What is it that you need?" he asked.

"Just a quick picture. I'm working on a portrait of all the Zodiac members," she said, "with the painting stuff that Akito got me."

"Oh."

He followed her into the garden where they would be in better light. If Melody had glanced up, she'd have seen how deathly pale his cheeks had gone, the strange gleam in his eye. She was too busy fidgeting with the camera settings, however, and didn't realize something was wrong until his shadow loomed over her. Then, she blacked out.

Akito let Squishie back inside and went looking for her. The palette of paints and brushes still lay on the newspaper-coated table she was using and the half-finished family portrait stood on the easel. He smiled as he recognized nearly every face there. Squishie sniffed around the room while Akito knocked on the bathroom door. There was no answer. He slid the door back only to find it empty. Now and then, if he couldn't find her, he'd check in there since she liked to hole up in that exquisite tub with a book after a long day.

"Melody?" he called. No answer.

He checked the gardens. He asked Hatori if he had seen her. Hatori said she had left at the usual time, but he hadn't come across her since. Melody had been talking about the painting and was ready to get back to it once their hours at the clinic were finished for the day. He also mentioned that she had gone around snapping pictures of everyone that she was putting into it. Akito then asked the various maids and called Shigure's house to see if she had maybe been by there. The answer was no. Isuzu and Kagura hadn't seen her, either. Haru was still at work, but the answer was probably no for him as well. Now Akito was getting worried. It wasn't like her to just disappear like this.

"I'm sure she'll turn up," Shigure said, "you're all she ever talks about, after all. We will let you know if the slightest thing comes up or we find her, I promise."

"Thank you," Akito said gratefully.

When Melody awoke, her head was throbbing horribly. She wanted to massage the sore spot, but she found that her hands were bound.

"Uh…" she muttered, confused.

A silhouette stepped closer to her. As her vision slowly cleared, she realized it was Kureno standing over her.

"Sorry about that," he said, placing an ice pack over the developing goose-egg in her scalp, "I'm not usually that rough…"

She looked up at him. Anyone else would not have noticed what she did—there was no physical change to him. There was no deepening of the voice or color change of the eyes. There was no trembling madness or urge to flee. His aura had simply "shadowed"—the demon's darkness had overshadowed the bright orange that he once was.

"Why did you knock me out?" Melody asked.

"I would think that's obvious," he answered, "Shigure, Kyo, Yuki, Hatori, Hiro, Kisa, Momiji, Hatsuharu, Isuzu, and Ritsu. All of my lesser associates have been discharged—only myself, Ayame, and Kagura remain. And, of course, Akito. Unlike all the others who simply try to attack you or otherwise incapacitate you, I've watched from the shadows and I've learned. It takes more than brute strength to overcome you. You and Akito must be kept apart."

Melody tried to keep calm.

"I see…and what are you going to do now that you've succeeded?" she asked.

"Keep you here for just now. I know better than to kill you. Killing you would just make you more powerful. Instead, I think the others might be interested in harvesting your power."

Melody frowned.

"But there's no way to do that."

"Not that you know of. Now, enough talk. I don't exactly trust you for reasons I'm sure you understand. You're going to take a nice little nap now and I won't have to worry about you escaping."

She opened her mouth to protest, but it didn't happen. She felt something jab her in the neck and her eyes slid closed. Kureno covered her up with a blanket. The demon inside of him, unlike so many of the others, was an older demon. He had seen the downfall of his brothers and sisters because they couldn't control or put off gratifications of their base desires. He was different—he liked planning things and being methodical. Being able to carry out things like this was what he got his thrill from. The real Kureno struggled on the inside, but he couldn't break free. The demon counterpart laughed out loud.

"Nice try, sparrow-boy, but it isn't going to work. You thought you were free once before, yes? That's only because I tricked you and suppressed the transformation."

Rage, but too weak of a rage to do anything beyond raising his heartbeat a little filled him. It was the true Kureno's rage at seeing someone like Melody being treated like a caged animal. The unnamed demon locked the door calmly behind him and stepped out into the night. He contemplated how he was going to tell the other three about this without giving something away to the humans…it would have to be done carefully or the lovesick fool Akito would go barging in there and wrecking things. He got in the car, careful not to leave any evidence behind, and drove back to the house. The others would know if he'd gone missing.


	39. Chapter 39

It was nearly midnight when Akito decided he didn't want to wait any longer. The police couldn't be of any help until she'd been missing for a whole day, but he didn't want to wait that long. God only knew what could happen in twenty-four hours. Picking up Melody's favorite black newsboy cap, he held it up to Squishie who sniffed it eagerly and wagged her tail.

"We're going to find her," he said, "and since Shigure can't transform anymore, that leaves you. Make yourself useful—tell me where she went."

Squishie wagged and bounded off the bed. Akito wondered at first if she really understood a thing he had just said. She trotted over to the door and sat up on her haunches, asking him to open it. He did. Then, she bounded down the hallway. She paused outside Kureno's room, then turned right.

"Ruff!" she barked. He followed her outside. Squishie poked her little black nose here and there, slowing to an unbearable crawl. Then, she looked over her shoulder at Akito.

"Well?" he asked impatiently.

She started digging, slinging little bits of snow everywhere. The corner of something hard and black appeared and he stooped to pick it up. His blood chilled.

"This is Melody's camera," he commented, "she was using it to take all of our pictures."

The camera's screen was cracked. It had also gotten wet, so there was no way to tell right here what the last picture was. He took the camera inside, yanked the memory card out, and plugged it into Melody's laptop. Scrolling down, he paused when he reached the last image. It was blurry from movement, but it appeared that the camera's button had been pushed when it hit the ground. Though the person's silhouette was similarly blurred, Akito caught a glimpse of startlingly red hair. There was no mistaking it.

"Kureno? She must have meant to take his picture," Akito thought out loud, "but something happened. And I've noticed he's not here…I wonder if he had something to do with this."

He led Squishie back outside and examined the snow carefully. Then, he dug away the top layer—it was only a thin crusting, thankfully. Rubbing his cold-reddened hands together, he examined the mud underneath. There were definitely signs of a struggle. He shivered, though from cold or worry, he couldn't say. Going to Kureno's section of the house, he frustratingly found the door locked.

"Like that's ever stopped me, hmmm?"

Akito grinned maliciously. In addition to being able to move about undetected to spy on people, he had a skeleton key that worked with any lock in this house. Hurrying back to his room to retrieve it, he got it out of the one place no one ever looked, not even his own mother. It was hidden in plain sight, affixed to a painting on the wall. The artist who had done it had been careful to create a slot for the key where it would fit snugly and blend right into the trees and mountains. Akito pried it loose and went back to Kureno's room. After a few seconds, it clicked open. Squishie walked in, sniffing around. Akito picked up one of his shirts that had been thrown carelessly over a chair and held it out for Squishie. She gave it a good once-over, even licking at a sauce stain. Akito rolled his eyes.

"Now do you think you can find him?"

He closed the door behind him and locked it. He had even tucked his hands inside his sleeve to avoid leaving fingerprints. Squishie whimpered and he wondered what it was. Animals and children, he had often seen in the movies, had a more in-tune sense of when something was wrong than adults did. Out of instinct, Akito looked around, but there was no one else there. That, of course, didn't mean much.

"Let's go," he said.

Squishie led him back to the garden, then to the gate. Akito sighed in frustration, but what did he really expect? Kureno, or the demon inside of him, wouldn't be so stupid as to leave Melody in a place easy to find, right? Fearing the worst, he went back to the house. There was no way he'd be able to handle this alone.

_Please, Father, don't let anything bad happen to her…please let us find her,_ he prayed silently.

He returned to the house to get the others.

The little second-floor apartment was littered with sketches, cloth swatches, catalogues, and the like, but it was home. Mine was making Ayame's favorite—pot stickers—for dinner. She sang a little tune to herself while Ayame closed the shop downstairs. Flipping one brown braid over her shoulder, she relished the way things were. Once a very insecure woman, Mine had never felt comfortable in her own skin. She never truly believed she'd belonged anywhere until she'd come to meet Ayame. Now, she couldn't picture being anywhere else. Pushing her glasses up her nose, she inhaled the steam coming off the food. Perfect…

"I'm home, my sweet!" Ayame announced, letting the door fly open with a bang.

"Great timing, as usual," Mine replied. She placed the serving dishes on the table. Despite knowing it would probably make him transform, she hugged him anyway. The apartment was warm enough, so it wouldn't take long for him to turn back. He kissed her right before poofing into his snake form. Having had plenty of practice, she caught him before he could hit the floor.

"I can't wait until I can hold you properly," she mused aloud, freeing him from the tangle of clothes.

_We've been very fortunate,_ Ayame remarked, _Akito despises me so much that he doesn't even bother with me. Although I wish he had not been so hard on Yuki. Even so…if I remained a snake forever, at least I would have you._

She cradled him against her chest.

"Remember the first time you ever transformed? I thought you were playing some horrible joke on me!"

A rhythmic hissing emitted from the silvery snake in her hands, as close as Ayame could get to a laugh in this state.

_The look on your face…priceless!_

She remembered how terrified she'd been when Ayame the snake had slithered out from under the pile of clothes, how she'd been convinced it was all some sort of practical joke until she'd seen his green-gold eyes. He'd then poofed back and she'd freaked out even worse than Tohru. After she'd locked herself in the bathroom, he'd been forced to explain through the door what had happened. At first, she'd fled and he was convinced he'd never see her again. Then, one day after he'd placed an ad for a seamstress in the paper and on his website, she'd turned up with a copy of it in her hand. They'd been inseparable since. Their relationship had been limited in terms of physical contact—only a kiss and the occasional hug, but they shared an emotional closeness that most couples never got to. Mine didn't mind giving up so much to be with him.

"I made your favorite," Mine told him, "and we've gotten a few more commissions for weddings. Melody and Kana were big hits as models—I only wish they'd let us shoot a few more outfits. Oh, well…"

POOF!

Ayame tugged on the robe that he kept around for such occasions.

"Is that so? Mine, you are such a blessing. I never dreamed that wedding dresses, of all things, would take off so much."

"I don't know why," Mine replied, "you do, after all, make your living on people's dreams. Why not include the women as well as the men?"

It had been her idea, but she rarely took the credit for it. Ayame settled into his chair, eager to start on dinner. They were halfway finished when there was a knock on the door.

"Who could that be at this hour?" Ayame wondered. Mine was going to get up, but his hand stopped her. She'd already done enough today. Setting down his chopsticks, he rose and made sure the sash on his robe was secure before opening the door. It did no good, unfortunately, as the blast of cold made him turn right back into a snake.

_Bother!_

Kureno stepped inside and closed it behind him.

"Sorry about that," he said almost sheepishly, "I keep forgetting about the cold thing. Other than being turned into a snake, how are you?"

Ayame poked his head out of the robe collar.

_Kureno…it's been a while! What a pleasant surprise, oh, do sit down! Mine has made her specialty._

Eager to cut his energetic talking short, Kureno replied, "Any other time, I'd be happy to. But I'm only in for a minute. You see, I've managed to capture one of the doves in order to keep my wings, so to speak. If we want to let you keep your fangs, and Kagura her tusks, meet me at…"

He whispered an address to Ayame.

"And make sure no one other than the three of us gets involved. And whatever you do, do not let Akito know. He might become…anxious."

With that, he left quickly. Mine had not been close enough to hear the conversation.

"What was that all about?" she asked.

POOF!

"Just a little…family matter…nothing for you to be worried about, my dear. Now, let's finish the rest of these wonderful pot stickers before they get cold—or before I turn into a snake again."

Something had changed, though…Mine felt it creeping over them like a shadow. Though nothing Ayame said or did was different, she couldn't help but feel like something had happened. Her worst fears were confirmed later on at around midnight when she woke only to find Ayame missing.

Isuzu awoke, her heart thudding in the darkness. She still lay against Haru's bare chest and the formerly ox-spirited man was still breathing gently. His arm was draped comfortably around her. When she stirred a little bit, Haru's silver eyes slid open.

"What is it? Another nightmare?" he asked sleepily. She'd had a lot fewer nightmares since Melody and Akito had freed them both, but they still occasionally happened. Sometimes she just had some bizarre dreams due to the pregnancy.

"No," Isuzu whispered, her voice barely audible, "I heard something. Listen…"

There was a noisy scraping sound from the next room over. Haru's first impulse was to get up and see what it was, but Isuzu held him back. She couldn't understand why. Instead, she carefully slid the window open—due to all her sneaking out, she always kept the hinges well-oiled, so they moved soundlessly despite the age of the house. Peering carefully around, she saw Kagura's leg emerge and step onto a tree branch.

"What is she doing?!"

"Shhhh!"

They watched her shimmy down the tree trunk and sprint towards a car. She opened the door, got in, and the car sped off.

"Why would she be sneaking out? She was always the 'good one'," Hatsuharu half-teased.

"I don't know," Isuzu said with a frown, "but we have to follow her. If she thinks this is bad enough to keep from me, it must be very bad."

She tossed her favorite ratty old nightgown aside and started pulling clothes on.

"What about the baby?" Haru asked.

"What about him? I can't help but take him with us, you know," Isuzu answered, "besides, we can call the others if something happens. I promise I won't get involved."

She fastened the front of her coat clothes. He sighed and pulled his shirt over his head.

"This is either really brave or really stupid. I can't decide which."

They emerged into the cold. Making sure that no one else was about, they began to follow the tire tracks. It was slow going, even in Haru's car, but it would be worth it.

Melody fought desperately against the haze of drugs in her system, but it was like trying to accelerate a car that had been put up on blocks. She just didn't seem to be getting anywhere for all her efforts. She was vaguely aware of being moved somewhere else. Holding her body perfectly still and behaving like a ragdoll wasn't that hard—in fact, it was all she could do to stay conscious. As they placed her on what felt like a bed, Melody tried to listen to their conversations.

"Well, we've got her, now what do we do?" Ayame's voice asked. It wasn't his usual flamboyant over-the-top tone. It was deeper, darker almost. So…his had woken up.

"We can't keep her in one place very long," Kureno's voice answered, "Akito will become suspicious. One of us will have to watch her at all times and not let her out of sight. Now that the three of us have awakened and surfaced, we might be able to manage. The three of us have lasted this long because we weren't impulsive like the others."

"But what was the point?" Kagura's voice asked.

"Do you not understand at all? That ridiculous Lyt has let this all go to his head. For generations and generations now, we've all been forced to serve him. He doesn't even want us calling him by his true name anymore—he wants us to call him 'god'. How ridiculous, isn't it? He's no more a god than I am. The real reason he hasn't attacked this girl is because she serves a means to an end to him. Letting all the others be sent away meant that he no longer has any competition whatsoever. He wants us all to be sent back into Hell so that he can rule the Sohmas on his own. Each time Melody sent us away, he's absorbed a little of our power."

Melody's heart began to thunder.

"And when all of us are gone, he will be at full power."

"Precisely."

Melody didn't want to hear anymore, but they continued to talk.

"Poor fool. She actually believes that he loves her. Not that I really blame him for keeping her around…she's so clueless. I'll bet it's amused him."

"Of course. And now he's got a way to satisfy all those desires as well. If only this body didn't keep poofing into a damn snake…I'd love a taste of that one."

"You'll have your chance soon enough. But for now, she must remain untouched. In the state she's in, she could become violent and destructive. That would cause some problems, not to mention attracting some unwanted attention."

"Oh, fine. But you're no fun."

"So, how do we get the power?"

"I'm still working on that. It has to change…it has to come in a form that won't poison us."

Melody, against her will, felt herself slipping back into the nearly comatose state she'd been in. She was praying to Father for a way out of this mess, but she couldn't even stay awake to finish it.

When she next woke, she was aware of a painful stabbing sensation in her arm.

"You're missing the vein, you idiot! You're going to waste it!" Kagura's normally sweet voice snapped.

"Who do I look like? Hatori? Just have some patience."

Kureno was attempting to insert a needle like the ones they used for blood donations. Melody's eyes only opened to slits. Unnoticed by her captors, she watched from beneath the dark fringe of eyelashes.

_So…they think my blood might hold some answers…_

If she hadn't been so heavily sedated, she might have been terrified. Anything was possible—if Father allowed it. She wasn't even sure that He would, but sometimes He allowed very terrible things to happen to prove a point. He always did so only for the best and would often take things away only to bring people to better things, but that was very, very hard to understand as a human. And she was human…the shreds of her angelic past were hard to hold onto. Being able to fly with flesh armor on now seemed like a distant dream though it had only happened a short time ago. She felt despair and pain, but mostly she just felt tired.

"Got it," he said softly.

They all crowded around watching the blood flow down the tube. It looked like ordinary human blood—dark red, almost black in the dim light. There was nothing to suggest that it was any different than the blood in their own bodies. But they were all convinced that it was. Melody fought the blackness only to lose to it again. She found herself vaguely wondering if she would ever wake up. She wondered what Akito would find when he got here—if he got here. Much to her horror, she actually hoped something would keep him at home.

During the long hours that Melody was asleep, they drained a bagful, which amounted to about a pint. Separating it into three equal amounts, they consumed it. Their human hosts reacted with disgust and horror, but the demons themselves enjoyed it. They lived to suck the life out of people—both figuratively and literally. And when the rest of the Sohmas arrived, they found three people with Melody's blood still staining their lips.

Isuzu and Hatsuharu arrived first. They both moved as quietly towards the house as they could, but every footstep that crunched the snow seemed obscenely loud. Peering over the edge of the window, they watched as the three demons were performing some kind of strange ritual. They couldn't see Melody, but the red smears on their mouths didn't look like cherry juice. Isuzu felt her stomach turn even as the faint salted-metal scent reached her nose.

"Blood," she whispered.

"How do you know?" Haru asked.

Isuzu gulped.

"I can smell it…it's that rusty smell…"

She forced herself to quit thinking about it.

"Do you think they…" Haru couldn't bring himself to say it.

"I hope not," Isuzu answered, her face as pale as the snow surrounding her, "but I don't think we should go in there…this is too big for us."

They noticed headlights down the hill.

"If that's Akito, we'd better warn him," Haru said, "we don't really know what those three are capable of right now."

They retreated back down the hill as fast as they could without attracting any attention. Squishie bounded up to them, wagging her tail. Akito leaned further out the window. He was shivering violently, but it couldn't be helped. That poor dog was probably far colder since she'd walked all this way.

"What are you two doing here?" he demanded.

"We followed Kagura. And you?"

"I followed Melody's dumb dog. Although…maybe she's not as dumb as I thought," he confessed sheepishly. Squishie made her disappointment on him known by turning her butt to him. Everyone chuckled nervously.

"The others are on their way, too," he said, "what have you found out?"

"Kureno came over just a couple of hours ago," Isuzu said, "and then Kagura snuck out when she thought we were asleep—but I'm such a light sleeper that I heard the window scraping open. Ayame's up there, too. I don't really know what's going on, but they all seemed to have blood on their mouths and they're doing some bizarre ritual."

Akito's face paled.

"Kureno, Kagura, and Ayame are the only other ones besides me who haven't been freed," he said, barely audible above the car engine, "which means…"

"They have to have Melody up there somewhere," Isuzu finished bravely, "but I know for a fact I smelled blood. Akito…I didn't see her. That's not to say she isn't there, but…"

They all went silent when he punched the console hard enough to leave a dent.

"I swear on every last one of you, on my own life, even, to God Himself if they've hurt my wife, I'm going to kill them myself!" he roared.

"Easy! Bursting in there with your ire up isn't going to help," Haru ventured bravely, "we don't know what we're dealing with. We always depended on her to help us—if we go in there and get killed—you especially, her work is all in vain. We need more help. Isuzu's pregnant, you're…well…you're strong when you're angry, but the angry can get you killed if you have that much of a one-track mind. I'm decently good in a fight, but I can't do it with you two to worry about. We're not evenly matched at all."

Since the removal of "Black Haru" as they'd come to refer to his former demon, Hatsuharu was amazingly clear-headed even under pressure.

Akito's face was still distorted with rage, but Haru felt it flicker. Slowly, he forced himself to relax.

"You're right," he said grudgingly, "we do need help. Melody…she wouldn't want us being careless…and careless has always been my middle name."

"Besides, don't you watch scary movies? Nobody who goes in alone ever makes it out."

It wasn't until Shigure pulled up beside Akito that he even remembered that reinforcements were coming. He'd been too stressed out in thinking about all the terrible things that could have happened to his wife to remember—it appeared that Hatori had made good on his word. Everyone got out and gathered around while Haru and Isuzu explained what they had seen so far.

"I need some of you to be a distraction," Akito said, "preferably those of you who are faster and can escape them. Direct confrontation may not be the best tactic here—first and foremost we need to find Melody. After we get her back, we can deal with the rest of them."

"You really don't know what you're up against, do you?"

Akito froze. They all turned around in surprise to see the red-haired angel emerging from the shadows.

"Who are you?" Hatori asked warily.

"An old friend of Melody's. I came to warn you about what's going on up there."

Seeing that he had their attention, he continued, "Those three up there have been awakened—I'm sure you already know that by now. They're more powerful in numbers. They wanted to stop both of you from freeing the remaining afflicted because they don't want to give up their power. They're jealous—bitterly jealous of what all of you have and they don't want to give up being human, either. They're devious, twisted things. They even went so far as to drain some of Melody's blood and drink it in a desperate attempt to enhance their strength."

Akito felt sicker by the second.

"Now…whether or not this actually worked, I can't say. It could easily be a psychological effect if they feel stronger, but you'll want to be careful in not underestimating the power of the mind. You've got quite a challenge ahead of you. If there's any way that you can incapacitate them, maybe separate them from each other and bind them up until Melody comes to, that might be for the best. As for Melody, she's still alive, but she's heavily sedated. I wouldn't count on her being very much help for the time being."

"And you?" Akito ventured.

"I've already done my part," the angel said, "I pushed against Father's orders enough by coming here and telling you all of this. Now I have to take my leave. Good luck."

He vanished.

"Well…that was…unsettling," Shigure remarked.

"Let's just go," Kyo muttered, "if we don't get her back, we'll never hear the end of it from Tohru and Ritsu. Those two have been driving me insane."

The sideways glance he sent in Akito's direction betrayed his true meaning: he was just as worried. He was probably wondering about what he'd be doing if it had been Tohru put in this situation. Tohru had this tendency to go into deep thought and space out, completely ignoring her surroundings. He wondered if that had been the case with Melody.

"I'll need help getting her out," Akito confessed, "but I can probably find her the fastest. I know how to keep from being seen when I want to."

They all murmured agreements. Hatori said he would go with Akito, as he was nearly as quiet and a lot stronger. Shigure, Isuzu (much to Haru's objection), and Ritsu volunteered to be distractions, as they could all run quite fast and were gifted with better balance. Kisa might also have been able to help, but she hadn't been allowed to come and neither had Momiji or Hiro. Akito felt that it was bad enough that he was asking the adults to risk their lives without making the children go through it as well. They all splintered off in different directions once they'd discussed how this was going to work.

Around one in the morning, the three demons began to hear something outside. At first, they tried to ignore the disturbance, but it grew louder and louder. When, at last, they grew annoyed, they stepped outside only to be ambushed by freed Sohmas. Akito watched carefully and bolted for the stairs once the coast was clear. The ironic thing was that all the others who'd volunteered to be "distractions" were using the same tactic that demons themselves usually used to frighten people: causing "unexplained" noises, moving objects around, slamming doors, ect… Laughing to himself despite his distress, he began to search the upstairs area with Hatori right behind him. Accustomed to tiptoeing around patients in the hospital room certainly helped with his ability to walk soundlessly.

Melody was laying on a very decrepit old bed that was sagging on one end due to a broken frame. She was horrifyingly pale, but she stirred when she heard the door open. Her arm was badly bruised and had dried blood on it, making Akito's stomach turn. Just what had they been doing to her?

"No more, please…" she begged, weakly struggling.

"It's me," he whispered in her ear, "I'm taking you home right now."

A faint smile illuminated her waxen features.

"The others…they're awake…all three of them…drugged me…so tired…"

"Don't worry about that right now."

"Took my blood…drank it…"

Akito swallowed back the sour bubble of vomit that threatened to emerge. Now was not the time. Suppressing a shudder, he and Hatori got her all the way down the stairs before they ran into trouble. Just as they were about to get her out the door, they found a tall, slender figure standing in their path.

"I'm impressed," Kureno's voice said coldly, "you figured us out, did you? But now what are you going to do?"

"Out of my way!" Akito snapped.

The click of the gun froze their blood.

"No," Kureno said smugly, "you are the one in the way. Now put her back."

"You can't hurt me," Akito said angrily, "I have one inside me, too."

"No? What about your dragon, hmmm? I wonder just how well the doctor would do with a bullet up his brain?"

Hatori paled as the barrel of the gun turned towards him. Akito couldn't figure out what to do now—he'd have to let go of Melody in order to charge him, but Kureno would fire too quickly for him to do so. For a moment, this strange tableau remained—none of them was willing to give. Both of them were sweating, waiting for the other one to so much as twitch.

Then, an unforeseen game-changer happened. Neither of them noticed the soft growling in the background. Moving more like a cobra than a dog, Squishie sprang into the air and sank her teeth into Kureno's hand. Kureno reflexively fired, but the bullet lodged harmlessly into the wall behind Hatori. Akito punched Kureno in the gut while simultaneously bringing his knee up into his groin. He then slammed his hand into the floor, causing some bones to crack and the gun to skitter away under the moth-eaten sofa. A flash of metal bit into the side of Akito's neck, but Hatori joined the fray and forced Kureno to drop the knife as well. Breathing hard, the two heroes had the first villain pinned.

"Stick him!" Akito gasped, grabbing at the trickle of warmth going into his collar. Hatori had been carrying syringes full of sedatives on him since Melody had informed him of the dangers of the possessed. He flipped the plastic cover off the needle tip with his thumb and tapped it gently to remove all the air bubbles. Kureno's eyes blazed with hatred as the quivering droplet of fluid appeared on the end. He fought—he fought very hard to try and free himself, but Akito was enraged and fueled by adrenaline. How dare this man try to kill his almost-father? How dare he kidnap his wife?

Hatori pressed the plunger down and Kureno's struggles weakened and died.

"That's one," Akito breathed, "let's go get the other two."

Squishie whimpered, licking at Melody's hand.

"She'll be all right," Akito assured her, "you did great."

Squishie wagged as he scratched her behind the ears. The little dog was always extra-clingy and fawning when Akito gave her a compliment or some attention because he certainly didn't do so cheaply.

They hauled Melody out to the car and lay her in the back seat before locking it. Some noise and crunching snow signaled that Kagura and Ayame were still trying to catch the others.

Kagura was trying to climb a tree where Kyo had shimmied up the branches. Similarly, Ayame was trying to catch Ritsu. Thankfully, both boys were gifted climbers and the other two's brute strength wasn't quite enough to make up for it. Kagura was certainly trying. Hatsuharu grabbed her from behind, pinning her to the snow while Hatori injected her. Then, all of them advanced on Ayame. He tried to run, but the cold was too much for him and he ended up transforming. Akito couldn't help but laugh as they trapped the wriggling snake in his own coat while Hatori injected him—the very power that this demon was trying to keep was still a great hindrance to him.

"We've got them all," Hatori said, wiping the sweat from his brow, "now let's get them home before we all freeze to death."


	40. Chapter 40

A/N: Well, here we are…things are starting to come to a head. For those of you who are interested, check out "The Secret Garden: A Fruits Basket Version" starring all our favorite characters in a retelling of the classic story. It's only two chapters long at the moment, but is growing more and more every day.

It was a pathetic sight to be sure. Three of his family members were strapped to their beds by some heavy-duty restraints. The sheer amount of bribing the medical suppliers that he'd had to do was borderline ridiculous. Akito had retreated to his own room to wait until the shot Hatori had given him would kick in—he was suffering from a very, very intense migraine. Melody was still sleeping off the anesthetic that Kureno had injected her with. Akito felt his blood boil every single time he looked at her arm where Hatori had bandaged her up. The blood had stopped flowing from the needle-stick, but he had probably wrapped the gauze around her arm just to keep the nasty bruises from showing. She had to have been stuck several times before Kureno's unskilled hands had secured a vein. The light was growing soft and blue outside. Akito cuddled closer to Melody, awed that he had grown to care so much for her. It was funny how he'd envisioned all the various ways of striking her or what objects would satisfyingly shatter against her skin if he'd thrown them. Now, he would kill for her if necessary. It was funny how these doves always hung around him in the garden…how long had she really been with him before he'd noticed her? As dark green as her eyes were, it would have been easy to overlook. He was often distracted by one matter or another when she'd lighted on his finger.

She finally stirred around midmorning. Akito urged her to eat breakfast even though she said she was feeling sick. In reality, she hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon, so that was probably why. Heavily lacing her coffee with ginger to combat the cold, shivery, nauseated feeling, she did eat a little bit just to keep him from worrying.

"I'll be all right," she sighed, "that stuff he gave me just made me feel kind of gross…the blood loss didn't help, but they only took one pint. I'm surprised the sedative they injected me with didn't knock _them_ out."

"They're lucky I didn't kill them all when I had the chance," he growled. Melody placed her hand over his.

"You know the real Kureno, Ayame, and Kagura. They'd never have done this," she said gently, "it's not their fault."

Akito wanted to scream out of sheer frustration. Momiji had fought his—he'd stayed right there in the room without him so much as having to give him an order. He'd refrained from violence and had done everything they'd asked. To a certain extent, Isuzu had fought hers as well, opting to run rather than risk them being hurt. Surely the others had some backbone as well? He didn't voice it, however. Melody had gone through enough and he didn't want to stress her out.

"We'll go after we're done here," she said, sounding almost resigned, "and then we'll break them all free."

Akito stared at her in disbelief.

"Are you crazy? Just doing them one at a time nearly killed you before," he objected sharply, "you've almost died three times, if not more!"

Melody bowed her head.

"I don't blame you for being afraid," she said quietly, "I am, too. I don't know what will happen afterward…but this is the hand we've been dealt. We have to do it. The longer those demons stay wakeful inside your cousins, the worse it will be. The more they'll suffer."

Akito very nearly said he didn't give a damn about them, but he caught himself. That wasn't true. The building shout in his lungs escaped in an annoyed huff of hair and he resumed devouring his rice though his appetite had suddenly vanished.

"It's going to be all right," Melody told him, "I'm here now."

Squishie seemed to sense that there was something amiss, for she pawed at Melody's leg. Melody scooped her up and cuddled her to her chest, rubbing her face into the dog's wild fur. It was then that Akito could truly see the distress in her face. She seemed to transform into a little girl in that moment, acting on one of the oldest and most primitive instincts. He stared at the floor, wishing he could comfort her better. Squishie licked her cheek and wagged her curved tail. She looked up at Melody with those big dark eyes as if to say "don't worry, I'll find a way to make it better!"

Akito hugged both of them. A faint smile crossed Melody's features. She always smiled whenever he hugged her or kissed her. He was doing his best to ignore the despairing weight in his chest that reminded him that their inevitable parting was coming sooner than he thought.

Hatori and Kana were waiting for them when they returned to the hospital wing. Hatori hadn't slept much, it appeared, as he seemed to have aged at least ten years over night. Kana, of course, looked worried about all of them. Melody stood over the beds, making sure that all three of them were under anesthetic. She didn't care to have any more accidents.

"We'll take Kureno's out, as his appears to be the more dominant one," she told Akito, "the other two…I'm not sure. Expect anything and everything."

The hospital wing grew fainter around them and Hatori and Kana appeared to "ghost" before they disappeared entirely. Akito would never get used to this as long as he lived.

There was a very violent storm going on. The rain was coming down so hard that it was nearly impossible to keep his eyes open. The wind turned the droplets of water into sheets of what felt like needles. Melody kept hold of his hand and they worked their way through the weather as best as they could. All around, there appeared to be no vegetation or buildings and nowhere to catch their breaths for a moment. The ground underneath was bare rock and it was dreadfully slippery.

"He's always so quiet! How can this be going on inside of him?!" Akito yelled above the thunder and wind.

"It's always the quiet ones!" Melody yelled back. Her blue-black curls were plastered to her face and neck and so soaked that they were almost completely straightened out. She winced when a big bolt of lightning crackled overhead.

"It's not real, it's not real, it's not real," she chanted to herself.

Akito's hand tightened on her wrist and she looked in the direction he was staring. An enormous waterspout was coming towards them. She stared hard into the whirling gray vortex, trying to see if there was actually something up there. Akito dragged her backwards, trying to get her to run with him away from the thing, but it followed them even in the odd zig-zag pattern he was making His suspicions were confirmed: yes, it was following them. His lungs burned and his legs felt weak. The medicine for his headache had kicked in, making his mind slow to an unbearable crawl. The funnel was getting closer.

"Don't be afraid," Melody told him, "remember flying?"

"Yes, but we could control that! What's going to—AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!"

Before the funnel reached them, the swirling winds swept them into the air. Inside the funnel were what looked like millions of birds, all beating their wings in a futile attempt to escape. Akito felt Kureno's presence through the increasingly weakening telepathic bond he had with the zodiac. It was a very faint little spark, but it was there. He pointed, as the roar of the winds was deafening. They were powerless to do anything but go along with the wind until they reached Kureno in his sparrow form. Akito seized him with his free hand and held on for dear life. He could feel Kureno's pulse against his palm and it seemed to be weakening.

_Don't you dare give up now! You hear me?! You fight it with us! This is not your life, Kureno. Your life is back at home. It's with all the others that you go out of your way to help so much—including me. You think I didn't know who Hatori sent to get some of my medicines? You think I didn't know who helped Tohru, Saki, and Arisa get all those Christmas decorations home?_

Kureno's wings twitched weakly.

_I'm sorry I didn't tell you how much I appreciate you before,_ Akito continued, feeling his own life starting to drain away. There was something about the endless whirling that truly exhausted him.

_I'm sorry that I kept such a close eye on you in years gone by. You should have gone to University. You should have been experiencing all the freedom that I couldn't. I kept you close out of jealousy for fear that you'd fly off one day and never return. Not that I blame you. I'm sorry I wrecked your chances with that pretty little girl that you had the spine to show our gardens to. You have every right to despise me, but get us out of here for Melody's sake. She needs your help now more than she ever has. _

Kureno had not asked Melody very much about Father. He had seen her depictions of him in her sketchbook, however. He'd thumbed through it one day this past winter when she'd accidentally left it outside—he'd come across it when he'd been shoveling snow out of the driveway. He knew she'd miss it, but he'd deprived her of it for just five more minutes as he examined the contents. He remembered the laughing man at the wedding, how they'd made eye contact across the room. Naturally shy, Kureno had not approached him, but he would always remember the kindness in his eyes. Images of Akito cascaded through his mind as well—Akito had not beaten him as he had Yuki, but punished him and made him suffer through confinement instead. This led him to have a very big restless streak and he often dreamed of escaping or running away, leaving Akito behind as he spread his new wings.

_I don't believe in miracles. I've spent my entire life waiting for one that never came…maybe this is it,_ he thought, _someone like me…someone with hidden wings. Someone who agreed to be trapped for a while just so that the rest of us could fly…_

More images flooded his mind. A man on a cross. A man who had been savagely beaten beforehand, accused of nothing more than what he was: a miracle. They had killed him out of spite and jealousy. That man had also agreed to be trapped so that the whole human race would continue. Some people remained hateful, mean, and nasty. But some recognized it for what it was and tried to better the world for everyone. Even when things were terrible and those people suffered, the one man who unmistakably understood was there with them. He'd partied with them, wept with them, shared their fury at injustice, and cradled them when they shed their nocturnal tears when they thought no one was looking. Even when they said hateful things. Even when they did things he clearly did not like. And he was everywhere…even in this lonely, desolate, stormy place where Kureno could find no rest, no way out.

The winds began to die down. They were descending down through the funnel until they all slammed roughly into the rocks. A glow began to surround Kureno as the rains began to soften. Melody let out a breathless cross between a squeal and a giggle.

"Well…that wasn't so bad," she said, still trying to catch her breath.

"I had a feeling you'd try something like that," a cold voice said from off to the side. Where the funnel of the waterspout/tornado had died off stood a silver-haired man. He was much older than the other demons they'd fought and his face was heavily scarred. He had the feeling of "not all there", as his form was blurry and wraithlike.

"This is only the beginning," the demon said, advancing on them, "I've been planning this for thousands of years. I'm not about to let some silly little girl get in the way."

The rocks beneath them began to shudder and a chasm started to open up. Both of them fled from it, Akito almost squashing poor Kureno in the process. He was trying hard not to let go of him, for one of Kureno's wings was bent at an unnatural angle and it was most likely broken.

"Don't you realize it's too late? You played your hand thousands of years ago," Melody called to him, "you defied Father. You tried to turn all of Heaven against him. Your punishment is that you have no real power and you refuse to acknowledge it."

She yelped as the ground suddenly gave beneath her. Clinging to the shelf of rock as best as she could, her feet scraped against the wall, trying to find an edge to climb up. Akito extended his free hand to her and hauled her back up. He felt himself sliding, too, and felt his blood freeze. Just as it seemed that they were going over, they suddenly became weightless and floated upward. He breathed a sigh of relief.

The demon looked around, eyes blazing in a strange mixture of fury and fear. Then, a column of water rose up out of the formerly temperamental ocean. Taking on the form of an enormous man, it advanced towards the demon, dwarfing him in size to the point of where he looked like a flea next to an elephant. Scooping him up as if he were nothing more than a mouse, the water-man shoved him in his mouth and swallowed. Then, he dissolved, crashing back into the water. The rocky island was flooded and for a moment, everyone went under. Then, they all surfaced again. The formerly icy water was pleasantly warm on the skin and had turned from gray to blue. The stormy skies were full of harmless, puffy clouds. Human Kureno broke the surface of the water and raked his bright-red hair out of his eyes.

"Glad that's over," he said after spitting out a mouthful of water.

"You and me both," Akito said, giving him a pat on the shoulder. Melody grinned.

"Look," she said, pointing past them. Both men turned to see a brilliantly colored rainbow against the dawn-colored skies.

"The first promise ever made," she told them, "the promise that He'd keep going with us no matter how bad things got."

The sun broke through the surface of the clouds and grew brighter and brighter until it blinded them. The warmth soaked through his skin and he embraced it. When he opened his eyes, he found it to actually be the fluorescent lights of the hospital wing. But he was no less grateful. Akito and Melody were standing over him. Melody looked a little worse for wear, but she wasn't sick at least.

"Forgive me eventually?" Akito asked.

"Always."

Hatori unfastened the bindings and Kureno sat up, rubbing the circulation back into his arms.

"So…now what are you going to do?" Melody asked.

"I'm going to stay and watch you help the other two," Kureno said, "in case there's anything I can help with. And then…I think I'm going out to dinner."

"All by yourself?" Melody asked coyly.

"That remains to be seen."

All of them shared a laugh.

"I have a suggestion," Melody said, mischievously grinning. She leaned over and whispered in his ear. He grew very pink in the cheeks.

"Go on, call her! I guarantee you won't be sorry! And I happen to know that she doesn't have any plans tonight," she urged him.

"How?" he asked.

"Father told me."

"Oh. Of course…stupid question. Sorry…"

Akito placed his phone firmly in Kureno's palm and scooted him out the door.

"He's hopeless," Akito muttered, "and it's really not all my doing."

"Who'd you set him up with?" Kana asked, voicing what they were all thinking.

"Arisa," Melody replied, "that American girl that Tohru's friends with. She's nice and assertive—perfect for a guy like him. They balance each other out perfectly."

"Arisa? The one that kept threatening to beat me up when I hit her in the face with a snowball?" Akito asked.

"That's the one."

"This ought to be good."

Melody giggled.

"So…who next?"

"I thought I'd let you decide," she answered.

He thought that one over for a moment.

"Ayame. I want to see if he's less annoying afterwards."

Hatori suppressed a knowing smile.

"Good luck," he answered, "I'm not really sure that it was all the demon's fault…but please, be my guest!"

Laughter filled the room.

"Poor Ayame," Melody muttered, "everybody picks on him just because he likes to talk. You know, it's a trait that Father actually really likes. He's been using those people for thousands of years to help other people."

"You mean preachers? There's an image," Kana said, giggling at the mental image that popped up.

"Don't talk like that. Just the thought makes my ears bleed," Akito muttered. He glanced over at Melody.

"How are you doing?" he asked.

"I'm all right," she answered. She sounded really tired, but it couldn't be helped.

"Are you sure you don't need a break?"

She shook her head.

"Putting it off won't help."

They next descended into Ayame's mind. This one was very different from all the others: the world was deceptively bright. It appeared to be a beautiful city-scape and the people were all dressed in colorful clothes and looked as if they were all models (or at least related to them).

"Somehow, it doesn't surprise me," Akito admitted.

"Yes…he's got a very vivid imagination," Melody said, "but the drawback is that he's very insecure. He's loud and flamboyant because he feels like there's no other way to set himself apart from the others."

They walked along the sidewalk. After Kureno's storm-demon, this would probably feel like a vacation.

"We're getting closer," Melody said, "do you feel that?"

He nodded. He couldn't explain it, but something just felt "off". The colors suddenly seemed too loud, the people far too friendly. He let out a gasp of surprise when one of them approached him with a "scary clown grin" only to hiss with a forked tongue. Melody steered him away from the man only to realize they'd been surrounded. These people had probably begun to follow them without even noticing. More and more of them began to make that dreadful noise. Akito let out a shout of horror when one of them seemed to be melting. A giggling woman, previously very pretty, looked as if her face had turned to wax. He watched in horror as it distorted only to peel away with a disgusting and wet ripping sound. The skin fell with a sickening plop to the ground as her real form was revealed beneath: scaly and hideous. The others followed suit. Soon, it seemed as if the very scenery were changing, revealing its true self. Paint peeled, sidewalks cracked, buildings collapsed in on themselves, and the sky turned a sickly green hue.

"Ugh…" Akito groaned. A terrible stench was coming from the reptilian people that were now surrounding them. Melody was backing away slowly, tugging him along with her. They were nearly away from the laughing, hissing group when something shot out of the storm drain and seized Akito's slender ankle. He yelped and tugged as hard as he could, trying to escape. What he pulled up with his leg made him shudder: it was a lizard-like creature with blackened skin and a bulbous head. It was the size and shape of a baby, but its scream was horrifying. He tried to kick it away, but it clung tightly to his leg. More of those nasty little things began to crawl up from the gutters.

"What do we do?!" Akito asked frantically, finally dislodging it with a sound kick in the side.

"Keep moving," she told him, "just keep moving."

They went down an alleyway, through a decrepit restaurant full of rotting food, and up a fire escape. The horrid little baby-monsters couldn't climb, thank God. The snake people, however, could. Melody kicked a glass window in and yanked him through it just as a large man was about to catch up to them. They tumbled into the tiny apartment.

"That was close," Melody said, slamming the door behind her, "it's going to take forever to find Ayame in this mess."

Akito's mind raced as they struggled to keep the door closed.

"This place—it's a replica of the city," he said suddenly, "and if I know Ayame, he's probably in his shop."

"Worth a try," Melody agreed as the rotting wood began to splinter behind them, "let's go on three."

"Three!"

Akito seized her and pitched forward. They both rolled painfully down the stairs just as a big, ugly webbed foot punched through the door. They ran down the sidewalk, thankful that the snake-creatures were busy. All around them were shredded remains of beautiful clothes and the sickening piles of shed skin. After what seemed like they'd been running forever and he was sure he would throw up, they found it.

The shop was decrepit as well. Akito almost felt bad for him—even if he didn't approve of Ayame's trade, it was still a lot of hard work in ruins.

"Congratulations, you found me," a coy voice said, "come on in. I wouldn't want you to get attacked."

The creature was more of what Akito considered a traditional demon to look like, shockingly enough. It had scaly green skin and glowing yellow eyes. More disturbingly, it had Ayame's hair, though. The real Ayame was nowhere to be found for the moment.

"Don't worry…I didn't hurt him. Much. You see, he's in here," the demon said, rubbing his bloated belly, "I've been eating away at him little by little over the years. I took him bite by bite until I'd consumed him. And he fed me easily. Darling brother Yuki? That alone was half the meal. Insecurity about keeping Mine around? A quarter or so. And dozens and dozens of other little things. Of course, your willfulness to ignore him helped, Akito. You really knew how to hurt them, didn't you? Yuki got his by the beating. Kyo got his by the exclusion, Isuzu by the injuries. Ayame got it by simply pretending he didn't exist. Well done. You'd have made an excellent demon."

Akito shuddered with anger.

"You let him go right now!" he growled.

"Oh, but I can't now. We are one. Just the two of us…"

The demon stroked his bloated belly.

"That's not true," Akito finally said, "if that were true, we wouldn't be here. Ayame wanted help. He wants out. He may not express it, but it's there. He drew us in. And he wants Father to come and see him as well since he didn't get much out of his biological dad. Yuki and Melody have told him the stories. You're only doing this because you want to try and scare us one last time."

The demon started to laugh, but it was cut off by choking. Both Akito and Melody moved back as a rope of saliva began to hang from his mouth. The choking turned into a very sickening retch. Green acid began to pour out of its mouth, eating away the floorboards with a nasty hissing sound. Akito's own stomach lurched and he had to look away. Melody's eyes were wide with disgust and fear, but she couldn't help but watch. The demon had both scaly hands over his enormous mouth, but it didn't help. A white glow was showing in his throat. She squealed with excitement. With the nastiest noise Akito had ever heard, Ayame landed on the floor with a thump.

"You did it!" Melody exclaimed. He was somewhat dazed and still covered in all manner of disgusting goo, but he was all right otherwise. The demon let out a terrible, agonized scream as his skin blackened as if being burned by an invisible fire. He dissolved into a pile of ash. The roof of the shop fell in as a huge column of water descended, washing away all the slime. The creatures outside tried to flee from it, but caught them in a warm, shining rain. Their scales and horror-filled appearances melted away, replaced with human skin again. Everything the water touched made it clean and new again. The three of them stood arm in arm on the steps of the shop watching everything being renewed. There was no big speech, no moral lesson—it was a matter of feeling that he truly belonged. Ayame had no qualms about embracing Father in front of the others. They talked some distance away for a few minutes before all three of them were transported back to the hospital wing.

The first thing Ayame saw when he regained consciousness was Mine's worried face.

"I'm so glad you're all right! You gave me such a fright when you didn't say where you were going or why last night! I called the police, but they couldn't tell me anything!"

She threw both arms around him, cradling his head while Hatori took the restraints off. Then, surprised, she exclaimed "You're not a snake!"

"Not physically, anyway," Akito muttered, making everyone laugh. Ayame embraced her, relishing the solid warmth in his arms and not having to lose that.

"I've always wanted to do this," he said, pulling her into his lap.

"Get a room," Hatori mumbled.

"You're one to talk," Ayame shot back, "he-who-constantly-kisses-Kana-when-he-thinks-no-o ne-is-looking!"

The faintest of pink patches appeared on Hatori's cheeks.

Kureno re-entered the room, his cheeks flaming.

"Well?" Melody asked.

"You…were right…" he said, looking down at the floor, "she wants to go."

"Great! We can all go together!" Ayame said.

"Actually, why don't you and Mine go somewhere together? Just the two of you? It's got to be the first time you could actually hug her without turning into a snake," Melody suggested, "you ought to go somewhere where you can dance."

Ayame got started on a chatter-fest about that. Though she was tired beyond belief and starting to feel really ill, his animated speech and exaggerated gestures distracted her from the growing pain in her middle. No matter what the future brought, they would all be worth it.


	41. Chapter 41

It had been like something out of a horror movie. When Kagura first woke, she'd hoped it had all just been a terrible dream. And in some ways, it was. The demon inside of her had disguised itself as a butcher—one that was like a more morbid version of Tohru. Sickeningly sweet at first, the butcher had been deceptively nice until she realized that everything was about to be destroyed. Then, she had gone after Akito and Melody, determined to hack them to pieces with the enormous cleaver she'd carried. They'd had to run through a dark factory full of animal corpses that were being gutted, skinned, and prepared in various ways, each one worse than the last. Kagura had been horrified to see that one of them was none other than Kyo. Heartsick as Melody and Akito had been cornered, she'd surrendered her hold on everything. She knew she could never have him, that it wasn't meant to be and holding onto him so tightly would only hurt him. The demon had come back toward her only to have Father—this time in the form of an enormous white wolf—pin her to the ground. Kagura watched as the demon dissolved into dust and bones, tears streaming down her face.

"It's over," Akito had told her reassuringly. Shakily, she'd nodded, the world dissolving into bright light.

When she'd come to, Kana was ripping away the restraints as Hatori bent over an unconscious Melody. She appeared to have stopped breathing entirely and Hatori was giving Akito instructions on when and how to breathe into her lungs while he did chest compressions. Horrified, she'd watched them struggle to revive the dead-looking angel woman for several minutes. When Melody finally coughed weakly, she lowered herself to the floor beside her.

"I'm sorry…" she said brokenly, "I never meant for this to happen…I shouldn't have hesitated!"

Melody's eyes fluttered open.

"Not your fault…just…part of it…" she wheezed. Hatori placed an oxygen mask over her face.

Akito looked around. Kureno, Ayame, and now Kagura were all freed. The worried faces all looked from Melody to him and back again. He knew exactly what they were all thinking: how long before he, too, was freed? How long until they lost one of their dearest friends forever? He felt cold all over and sick to his stomach. This was happening way too fast…he was sure he had at least another month with her…

"I'm glad you're all right," he said genuinely to Kagura, "and both of you as well."

They were all free of the curse, free of the demonic spirits that had plagued their families for generations and centuries. Never again would a Sohma baby be born and rejected or watched like a time bomb. Never again would there be cover-ups and lies and rejection. Akito felt torn in two directions at once—they were just like everyone else now, but at a cost. Would they want a relationship with him now that they were free? He couldn't tell them what to do anymore. The last of the psychic bond that they once shared was broken. He may as well have been trying to read the emotions of strangers. He felt as if they had all already left though they surrounded him in very close proximity.

He never wanted to be alone so much in his life, but he wasn't going to leave Melody. Though she swore she was fine, he knew better. Hatori echoed that sentiment and made her stay there the rest of the day. That night, he held her close and made a conscious effort to be more affectionate to her than usual. The next morning, however, he was awake long before she was. Thoroughly depressed, he'd slipped out of bed and wandered the gardens, as was his lifelong habit.

"I guess you know we're coming down to it," the red-haired angel said, appearing next to him, "all of the Zodiac animals are gone. Now it's just you."

"Yeah, so what?" Akito asked darkly.

"You still remember our little deal, don't you?"

Akito stared hard at him.

"That woman back there is dying. Something's wrong with her—any fool with eyes can see it. I'm about to lose MY WIFE and that's ALL you care about?! Your stupid revenge?"

He quivered with anger. The angel looked at him impassively.

"Is that any way to treat someone who's only trying to help?"

Akito crossed his arms over his chest.

"I told you that it's the only way you can hold onto her. She'll get better afterward," the angel said tersely, "that's all I meant by it. There was no need to be offended."

Akito instinctively looked back across the garden at the house.

"I'm sorry…it's just…I finally found her, you know? I finally found the one person that can stand me even when I'm being a complete ass. And she's so sick…she's suffered so much…and I'm going to be alone. Again."

"Not if I have anything to do with it."

He was gone again, leaving behind only the wind. Akito shook his head. He felt so small in this huge world. Small and cold…just like Ren had said, in a big void. A solitary tear dripped down his cheek, but he angrily swiped it away. What good would it do to cry? He would still have to face it either way.

_Maybe I'll get New Year's with her at least…before we have to fight the evil inside me…_

The weeks that followed were quite tense. Everyone, understandably, was on edge, but Akito didn't want to talk or think about it. New Year's was quite the affair at the Sohma House and they had all kinds of preparations to make. The brilliantly colored paper lanterns were lit and hung, all the traditional food was prepared, a massive order for fireworks was placed, and each Zodiac member got a special kimono to wear to the banquet. Kyo was to be included this year, which was the first time ever in history. Akito had insisted, though, since he had been left out all the other times. Kyo didn't know what to expect and was fidgeting a lot. Tohru tried to make him feel better by giving his hand reassuring squeezes. Though he would react with annoyance to what he thought was excessive attention, his features would always soften when he looked at her. Sometimes they'd even share a secretive smile. Yuki and Ayame were spending more time together though they clearly had a lot of work to do with their relationship. What time he didn't spend with Yuki, he spent with Mine since they could now enjoy their dates a lot more. Ayame and Mine seemed as though they were almost permanently attached and it was rare to see one without the other. Akito invited her to the New Year's event along with Tohru. Ritsu also brought the editor, which he seemed to have gotten extremely close to in the last year. It was amazing to hear him talk in his own masculine voice and dress in actual men's clothing. Akito found that he could talk to Ritsu much more easily now.

The only thing that really weighed heavily on his mind was his dove. Melody wasn't gaining back the weight that she usually did and seemed unusually emaciated. Her skin was very sallow and the pink never returned to her cheeks. When she bathed, he could see her spine and her ribs sticking out. Her eyes didn't have the same sparkle and her hair seemed duller, but she didn't let on that she wasn't feeling well. She'd been having to take more breaks at work and he suspected something when he noticed Hatori poring over some X-rays with a frown. It was the day before the New Year's festivities were to begin.

"All right, Hatori, talk!" Akito demanded.

Hatori looked up. The neutral mask of professionalism he usually wore wasn't there. In fact, his eyes seemed to be watering a little bit. Akito bit his lip; he'd never seen Hatori make that face.

"I was just…going over these," he said, gesturing to the images. Akito knew by the wing-bones that they were Melody's.

"What's going on? Why has she been here all day? She's supposed to be getting ready for the party tomorrow along with all the others," Akito said firmly.

Hatori's eyes closed for a moment, a gesture of weariness. His shoulders were hunched and he looked like a man who bore the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"Her organs are failing," he said quietly, "one of her kidneys has already ceased to function and the other one is only working at half-capacity. Everything seems to be shutting down for a reason I can't answer with a medical book. Her spleen and liver have enlarged, trying to compensate for the building toxins, but they are failing as well…"

Akito stared at him with wide eyes, horror-struck.

"How long ago did you find out?"

"I've been sending her blood samples to labs that have the best reputations and equipment. I started getting the results a week ago. She complained that her 'stomach' was hurting so I asked if I could take a look."

Akito was caught between cold fear and fury, but he remained rooted to the spot.

"Before you get angry, she asked me not to say anything. She didn't want to worry you and she very nearly made me promise, but Kana walked in and she couldn't get me to commit to it. I'm grateful because you know I couldn't say no to her."

Slumping into a nearby chair, Akito felt cold and dizzy.

"How…how bad?" he forced himself to ask.

"Bad," Hatori said heavily, lighting a cigarette and not bothering to go outside, "I…I wouldn't even hazard a guess. I couldn't bring myself to."

"And there's no way we can fix it?" Akito asked quietly, his throat constricting.

"I'm sure there are ways we can lengthen her life," Hatori responded, sounding slightly choked up himself, "but that isn't what she wants. I suggested dialysis and she said 'how will I help people if I'm hooked up to that machine all day?' I tried everything I could think of to talk her into it, but she just gave me that smile and shook her head and told me it would be okay."

The tremor in his hand betrayed his attachment to Melody. She was, of course, too old to be a daughter to him, but he viewed her as a younger sister or something similar.

"It's not fair…" Akito's voice was thick and raw with grief, "…why did Father…God…let her stay here, let her marry me, if He was just going to take her away? Why make all of us get so attached to her just for us to lose her?"

"I don't know," Hatori said quietly.

Akito turned and punched the wall. He beat at the tiled surface with his fist, actually managing to crack it in a couple of places. A wordless yell escaped his throat as he took his frustration out on the confines of the room. Hatori didn't bother to stop him—he knew what would happen if he did. It wasn't until the anger had finally passed and a shuddering sob escaped him that he dared to go comfort his "son". They sat together in silence in the floor for a long time. The barrier that the years had created between them faded and Akito was once more the little boy who had once come to Hatori with all his hurts, whether they be head, heart, or body. Knowing that nothing he said could make it better, he just stayed silent.

When the sun was sinking in the west, both of them finally stirred. Akito no longer felt the crushing grief or fear, he just mainly felt tired.

"I'll do whatever I can," Hatori had said before he slunk out of the office, "just tell me what she needs. What you need."

Akito had merely nodded and closed the door behind him.

"I need a freaking miracle is what I need," he said drowsily. His head hurt, his eyes hurt, he felt nauseated, and his limbs were heavy. He found Melody on the way back to their room.

"I finished the portrait," she said brightly. One look at him, though, and she knew instantly what had transpired.

"Oh."

She didn't try to apologize or explain things. There was nothing she could say, she knew. He gave a half-hearted smile at the family portrait she'd spent so much time on. Everyone was smiling and happy. He turned away, unable to bear the thought of so many smiles right now.

"It's really good," he forced himself to say, surprised at how alien his voice sounded to his own ears, "we ought to hang it up in the living room before the party."

She drew him into her arms, her cheek pressing into his. He melted under her touch as he always did. It was painful, after all these weeks of embracing her soft curves, to feel how thin she'd gotten. But she was still his and she would always be the same sweet angel.

"Want to go out for dinner?"

"Nah…we're going to be surrounded by people tomorrow. Not that I don't look forward to it…I just thought for tonight it could just be the two of us."

He was happy to oblige her. They ate dinner together and watched a movie on her computer. She completely thrashed him at video games. They spent a great deal of time just cuddling with Squishie jumping on them jealously and Melody tickling her under the chin in retaliation. When she finally got free of Melody, she barked at her as if to chew her out. Melody just giggled.

The next morning, the guests all started arriving and the house was getting quite full. Akito largely stayed out of the spotlight though he did talk to many of them one-on-one. Shigure, no longer afraid of turning into a dog, was enjoying plenty of company from the fairer gender. He could often be seen with at least one girl on each arm and many of the others were subtly trying to get his attention. Akito rolled his eyes in disgust.

"That mutt will never change," he muttered. In time, he would probably find someone as well. Many of the others were paired off, but hanging around in large groups. The children played outside until they were called in for dinner. Melody, he noticed, didn't eat much, but she was so animated that most of them didn't notice. She claimed it was because she was excited. He let that one go and just tried to satisfy himself with the fact that she was happy. She joined in with some of the snowball fights afterwards and then the real festivities began.

Despite the constant teasing by Ayame and Shigure, Hatori's dance was heavily applauded and complimented. Melody had not known he was so talented and wondered when he'd found the time to practice lately with so much going on. Kana whispered in her ear that it was one way he'd gotten Tianshi to go to sleep every night. She could see why—since Eastern dragons were associated with water, many of his movements were rhythmic and wave-like, almost hypnotizing like the ocean horizon. Even though he knew people would probably rib him, he'd clearly put a great deal of time and effort into this. About a thousand pictures were taken and he fought to hide his displeasure. He didn't really think himself very photogenic, especially in this outfit, but it was a special occasion. Afterward, he eagerly changed back into his regular clothes and held his daughter until she fell asleep on his shoulder.

Very late into the night, it was time for the zodiac members to meet. Everyone had eaten their fill of the snacks and so forth. They sat in a ring-formation with Akito and Melody at the top.

"As you all know," Akito began once they were quiet, "a lot has changed in a very short amount of time. What has been for centuries is no more. The Juunishi are breaking up…but there's a time for everything. What's an end, but a new beginning? I know I haven't been the best 'god' you've ever had, but for many of you, I was the only one. But I am not the true god. I never was a god. I'm just a man…a very flawed man as you all know. You no longer serve me as slaves and master. We are all equal tonight. You are not animals, either, but men and women that I've come to know and appreciate… and love. I hope that someday you may look upon me as your friend, as your equal. And I wanted to tell you that the true God is in this room though we can't see Him. We've each met Him in some way or another and He has no flaws, no weaknesses. You can depend on Him without fear of failure or disappointment."

He found himself feeling a little choked up, but cleared his throat and continued.

"You're all going to change. One year from now, if you so desire, you can come back to this place, but you'll come back a different person. You'll experience new things and try new things and find out what you're really capable of. And I hope you all do so to the fullest. I know I'm awful at showing it most of the time, but I truly do love all of you. And that is why, from now on, I don't require your permission. You may come and go as you please. You may marry and date whomever you please…I only hope I'm worthy of the wedding invitations."

There was an uncomfortable ripple of laughter.

"Anyway…this year, we stand side by side," Akito said, "and it is nearly midnight, so let's go start it with a bang!"

"Boooo…." Shigure whispered, making everyone else crack up. Akito shook his head.

"Just come on."

"Wait! I have a little gift for all of you," Shigure said.

They all waited as he rose and stood in the center of a circle.

"As you all know, tradition dictates that we tell the story of the Zodiac," Shigure said, "but I've updated things a little bit."

He told the story of how God invited the animals of the zodiac to the banquet and how the rat had fibbed to the cat about it being the next day instead. The cat lay in bed and dreamed of the party he'd never get to attend. Meanwhile, the rat tricked the ox into letting him ride on his back. The dragon was expected to be first because he could fly, but he had paused to help some of the animals across the river. Then, after all the animals had been assigned their places, they agreed to meet every year at that time. While God and the cat had once been close, they had drifted apart due to the cat missing the party, but things were eventually put to rights and the cat realized that he didn't need a special month or time of year—he could go and visit God anytime he wanted and so could the rest of the animals. Then, after this had been going on forever, the dove entered the picture. While God very much wanted to give her a place among the family, the dove responded with gratitude, but explained that she was unable to stay in one place at one time for very long, but she would always be back to visit no matter what. God let her go, but she always returned due to their special bond that years and even mortality itself couldn't interfere with.

Everyone clapped, having been visualizing all this in their minds.

"That would make a great children's book, Shigure!" Melody told him.

"I've already drafted one," he said with a pleased twinkle in his eye.

They all hurried outside, as they had a mere three minutes left. When the clock struck midnight, the world seemed to explode. The air was filled with colored sparks, light, and noise. Melody could hardly hear herself think, but she was awed with the bright blossoms of fire that filled the night sky. Wrapping one arm securely around her, Akito held her next to him as they watched the brilliant show. One by one, the couples kissed on the last chime of midnight. They all remained there until the sunrise came and made their wishes.

"I wish I would never forget this day," Melody said, resting her head on Akito's shoulder, "no matter what. No matter if I get sent somewhere else."

"And I wish this night would last forever…" he replied.


	42. Chapter 42

Akito jerked awake, his heart thundering. He looked around with wide, panicked eyes only to discover that the horrific images that surrounded him were only nightmares. Melody sat up beside him, her concerned eyes locking on his.

"Another nightmare?" she asked.

He nodded. Her hand cupped his cheek. It was cold and slick with sweat. His pajamas were soaked.

"They're getting worse," he lamented.

Ignoring the dampness, she cradled him in her arms. The poor man wasn't doing much better than she was. All the healthy weight he'd gained was starting to come off again due to all the stress he was under from worrying about this and about her. His inky hair was wild and there were always dark circles under his eyes. Hatori had offered him some tranquilizers to help him sleep, but he didn't take them. Any day now, his own demon would awaken and he wanted to be lucid enough to try and help Melody if he could. Besides, every moment he spent awake with her was a treasure. He didn't want to miss anything. That blasted red-haired angel hadn't been around since tipping them off about the three demons on the night they'd captured Ayame, Kagura, and Kureno. He'd called to him, but the angel had not come. Neither did Father show his face, although Akito knew that didn't necessarily mean he wasn't there. It just meant…well, he wasn't sure. But Akito tried so hard to be patient. Melody had subtly slipped it into the conversation one day that his faith was being tested, which Akito really didn't think was fair. But he kept his silence on the matter. Let her say or think what she wanted….

"Let's get you out of these clothes before you get chilled," Melody said, "I'd hate for you to get sick on top of everything else."

She opened the dresser drawer and retrieved some clean pajamas. Akito walked past her into the bathroom. He despised being sweaty with a passion and wouldn't be able to go back to sleep like this. While the water was heating, he relieved the enormous pressure building on his bladder as well. He'd often had accidents when he was younger due to the nightmares; he didn't want Melody to find out about that first-hand. He stripped off his pajamas and tossed them into the basket. The water was too noisy for him to hear what she was saying, but she was talking to Squishie. Great…he'd even woken up the dog with his thrashing and screaming. He scrubbed away the nightmare sweat with more force than necessary, getting an almost perverse pleasure when his skin reddened. This was one of those nights where he truly despised himself and his body.

He didn't want to go back in there. He didn't want to see that face that she'd make when she was concerned about him or the big dark eyes of their pet. The guilt was terrible. But he couldn't stay here forever, either. The water was cooling. Reluctantly, he stepped out of the relative safety of the shower and dried off.

_It's coming…I can feel it…_

Lately, he'd been very cross with everyone over the stupidest things and had to go and make a lot of apologies for saying the terrible things he did. He had often very violent urges to strike people like before, so he had been avoiding many of them entirely to keep from hurting them. Sometimes he'd get depressed and cry for no reason, though he hid those tears from everyone. A grown man at his age crying all the time was ridiculous. He felt weaker than he ever had, but it was not bodily weakness. It was mental weakness. He was tired of pretending. Would it really be so bad? They'd witnessed plenty of his hysterical episodes over the years, but the lack of restraint he'd had always troubled him. Getting dressed in the clean pajamas, he buttoned the front of his shirt up as he came back into the bedroom.

"I don't know how much longer I can take this."

The words slipped out before he even tasted them on his tongue and he was instantly horrified. How could he say that when the woman in the bed next to him was dying?

She drew him into her arms, the cloud of curls filling his face as she cuddled up next to him.

"I know," she said softly.

He stroked her hair as they lay together in the dark. It was a new moon, so it was almost completely black in the room. Akito had almost thought of sleeping in one of the other rooms just so that the poor girl could have some peace and quiet at night, but the selfish desire not to leave her was too strong. Not that she would have let him, anyway…Melody didn't believe in leaving anyone behind even when things got hard. Gradually, she heard his heartbeat slowing. His strokes grew more sluggish until his hand came to rest on the back of her head. His breath deepened and slowed and she knew he'd found peace again. For how long, she didn't know. But it felt good to feel him relax beneath her. Very, very carefully so as not to disturb him, she tilted her head up to look at him. It was dark enough that she couldn't make out many of the finer details, but the worry in his face had smoothed out. He looked almost childlike when he slept. She curled protectively around him and let the drowsiness take her.

The next morning, she woke to an empty bed. Shocked, she looked around the room to see where he had gone. It wasn't uncommon for Akito to have a restless night and go brooding around in the gardens or around the house, but he usually tried to get back before she woke. Squishie whined, something she didn't do very often.

"I wonder," was all Melody had to say.

She discarded her own flannel nightgown, shivering from the cold as she got dressed. She'd gotten used to wearing dresses and kimonos just because Akito liked them better than jeans and T-shirts on her, but today, she needed practicality. Grimacing at how loose her jeans had gotten, she cinched the belt as tight as it would go and tugged her shirt over her head. Shoving her feet into her snow-boots and getting her coat on, she let Squishie out first before sliding the shoji doors closed behind her.

"Find him, Squish."

Squishie bounded across the snow, sniffing eagerly for her other master. She looked so funny trying to navigate the drifts because her legs were short—she kept sinking into them. Snorting and shaking her head as if to say "does it always have to snow?" she sniffed around this way and that, trying to pick his scent up. She bark-sang and hurried towards one of the hedgerows.

Akito, sure enough, was standing there. He had his back turned to both of them. There was nothing visible in the air to suggest that anything had changed, but Melody's stomach soured. The evil coming off of him was almost suffocating. He turned to look at them and the black aura of the demon within became visible. It certainly didn't help that that his irises had turned red. He glanced down at Squishie with a malice-filled grin.

"No! Don't hurt her! She's just an innocent puppy!" Melody howled.

The demon chuckled.

"I'm not going to hurt her. I love animals," he said, moving to pet Squishie, "why do you think I hung around them for so many centuries?"

Squishie growled, but had enough sense not to try and bite him.

"Smart little mutt, aren't you? Good girl."

He rose from his crouch, unnaturally fluid in his movements.

"Not the body I'd have chosen to surface in, but it'll do. I've had worse, after all. That blasted Akira…he made me sick all the time with his talk about God. This one, however, is a little different. I haven't had nearly as much trouble with him."

Melody glanced right and left. No one else was up yet. She was completely and utterly alone.

"I must say," he continued silkily, "I've never bedded an angel before. It's been quite an experience. My so-called companions were quite jealous."

"That's not true," Melody said shakily, "Akito loves me. And our love had nothing to do with you."

"Oh, but it has everything to do with me. Your 'Father' would never have let you come down here if it weren't for me. So you see, you owe me. You owe me a lot."

"I owe you nothing and neither does he. I want to talk to him."

"It's too late. Akito is bound. There is only me now."

"I see…and whom do I have the displeasure of addressing?"

"You may call me Lyt."

Melody raised an eyebrow.

"Light? That's an ironic name for a demon. How did you happen to come by it?"

"You should know," he said, stretching leisurely, "you were there."

Melody tried to remember the Great Battle, but she couldn't. Only snatches of memory emerged: the clashing of swords, the glint of armor in sunlight, and the screams of the defeated as Father pitched them out of Heaven. Flesh was terribly inconvenient at times.

"You don't remember, do you? Well, that's all right. You'll remember soon enough."

He took her hand in his and kissed it, making her shudder in disgust.

"I suppose in a way, I owe you, too. You see, the others were getting in the way. They wanted to continue living as mortals so that they could escape Hell and experience all the carnal pleasures that they'd been deprived of down there. They wanted to keep things the way they were and they were all growing bitterly jealous of me. By sending them all away, you ensured that I and I alone would become ruler of the Sohmas. And now, I have reached my full power now that it isn't divided fourteen ways."

Melody grew cold on the inside. It was as if a glacier had formed over her heart.

"What have I done?" she wondered out loud.

A dark chuckle came from Lyt/Akito.

"Don't take it so hard, Dear. Your intentions were good…but you know what they say."

"Good intentions paved the road to Hell," Melody recited, "but not all of them. I will find a way to free him, Lyt. And when I do, you'll be sorry."

Lyt laughed again.

"I'm a demon. I'm never sorry. Don't take it so hard, though. You've still got Akito. He's in here somewhere, though he's very comatose at the moment. And there's still this body that you've grown so fond of. I can't do much about the eye color, but we can't all be perfect like you."

"That's not what Father wants," Melody said firmly, "and it's not what I want, either."

"I've seen your thoughts, angel. You don't want to give him up. Even as your body wastes away, you want to stay with him. Your heart betrays you. I'm the only one who can really give you everything you both want. Pathetic, isn't it? An angel falling in love with a demon-possessed mortal. You did something for me I never dreamed of: you made me piteous of you. That's the only reason I'm not striking you down where you stand. The only way to make you suffer, really suffer, is to make you live."

Melody's eyes had filled with tears.

"Please, Lyt, let me talk to him."

"I've got my limits," Lyt responded, "and I'm not letting him out. I've finally got that bastard where I want him."

Being possessed was one of the worst feelings in the whole world. It started with not being able to move out of his own free will. When Akito had woken up, he realized that he was paralyzed. Everything seemed far-off as if he were watching it from a dream or on TV or something. The detestable spirit had finally surfaced. Akito felt Lyt's emotions very strongly—the horrible creature was taunting him and Melody both. Horrorstruck when Lyt made Melody start to cry, he realized he was powerless to comfort her and grew infuriated.

_Stop your complaining. I've been more than generous. I stayed quiet. I didn't come to scare you like the others. I even let you have New Years' with that girl. And I had so many chances to surface that I didn't take._

Just to prove a point, he yanked Melody closer and licked the tear off of her cheek, reveling in all the emotions he could taste there: fear, hurt, anger, sadness, uncertainty. Akito was shocked that he literally knew what adrenaline tasted like. There was also cortisol, the stress hormone. Melody was shaking as Lyt pressed his body into hers. His breath was growing ragged as the lust began to surface.

"Let go of me! You're not him! Akito is the only one I'd ever let touch me like that!" she shoved him away. Lyt laughed and Akito tried desperately to break through the paralysis, but all he succeeded in doing was sending tremors through his own traitorous limbs.

"I know. A bit confusing, isn't it? You'll get used to me soon enough. I daresay you'll find me a little more exciting than Akito ever was."

Melody turned away, sickened. She needed to get help right now. Physically, she felt very weak, though she did not know if it was the fear or the illness causing it. The others would help, she knew. But Lyt seized her by the arm and hauled her backwards.

"No, no," he taunted, wagging a finger at her, "you know what they say: three's a crowd."

She dropped to her knees in the snow. She felt horribly dizzy. Squishie whimpered, putting her paws on Melody's knee.

"Go get them, please…they're my last chance," she said in an almost inaudible whisper. Squishie sprinted towards the house. Lyt paid no attention to her. After all, she was just a dog.

"Why do you turn away from me, sweet Melody?"

"Because you're trying to confuse me and lie to me. I don't want to hear it."

He slid his hands up her coat and she pushed him away. Akito continued to fight against the demonic influence. Where was Father?! Where was that damned red-headed angel?! Where was anyone?

Squishie whined when she realized that the shoji door was closed. Scratching at it with her paws, she wondered how she was ever going to get back inside. Thankfully, the outer door still remained open. It happened by accident at first when her claws pierced the paper. Startled, she looked around. Tearing things up was one of the most grievous sins a dog could commit—Akito had spanked her for it. She cowered in the snow, watching to see if he'd noticed. He hadn't. Her primitive dog mind struggled to grasp the concept of "rightful disobedience". Melody was in trouble. She could smell it—her male master did not smell right and neither did Melody. Finally, deciding it didn't matter any longer, she thrust her head through the hole and struggled until she finally squeezed through the square frame. Dropping to the floor with a soft plop, she shook her head. At least she was out of the snow…

Hurrying towards the smells of other people, she caught Hatori's scent. Melody spent most of her time with him—probably almost as much as Akito—so she carried his scent on her shoes and clothes. Deciding that he might be the best one to get—and the closest—Squishie followed that trail only to find a locked door.

"ARF! ARF! ARFARFARF ARF!"

She put her paws on the door and scratched. When he didn't come, she began to make even more of a racket. Making a nuisance of oneself was definitely a talent that puppies possessed. Yapping, whining, and generally creating chaos with her shrill little voice, she even resorted to head-butting the door when scratching didn't work. Tianshi began to cry, awakened by the noise and frightened by the barking and growling. The door slid open at last and Hatori, thoroughly puzzled and still in the process of getting dressed, opened it.

"Make her stop!" Kana begged.

Hatori scolded her, but it didn't work. Squishie was far too worked up. Nipping at his pants leg, she trotted a few steps, trying to get him to follow her. It took a few tries to get him to understand, but he finally did so, tugging on his suit jacket as he followed her. He'd never seen the usually happy and tame dog behave so erratically and had learned the hard way that dogs and children were usually right about things adults ignored. He followed her to the gardens, but crouched behind the hedges on impulse.

And he knew.

Just by watching Melody's reactions, he knew that Akito was no longer Akito.

"It's all right, Squishie," he said, patting her head, "we'll get him out."

Moving very quickly and quietly, he went back to the storage room and retrieved the syringe. He hoped that the demon would be distracted enough to keep from noticing. Melody saw him out of the corner of her eye. Hoping Father would forgive her for what she was about to do, she pressed a very passionate kiss onto Lyt's mouth. He let out a groan of lust and pressed her into the snow, tugging open her coat.

"I knew you'd see it my way," he hissed, biting into her neck. Melody flinched in pain, but the pressure soon abated as Hatori stabbed the syringe into the back of Lyt's neck. He squeezed the skin, trying to work it into his blood faster. Lyt slapped Hatori's hand away, growling in fury, but it was too late. His struggles weakened and he fell. Melody's cheeks were flushed with embarrassment—her underclothes were showing—and righted herself.

"Thanks for that," she breathed, "I was so scared…"

He helped her to her feet.

"That's a very intelligent puppy you've got," he remarked, "she started throwing an enormous fit and wouldn't shut up until I followed her."

Melody hugged Squishie to her chest.

"Good girl," she cooed, "good Squishie! And Akito said your nickname was 'Pain-In-The-Butt'! You showed him, didn't you?"

She kissed Squishie noisily on the head before bending over her husband's limp form.

"How long does it last?" she asked Hatori.

"For a regular human, four to six hours," he answered, "for a demon-possessed human…well…let's just say they don't write about it in medical journals."

"Oh, boy…" Melody sighed, "well…there's something else. I dreamed that we were all fighting him. Lyt, I mean. That's the demon's name. Do you think Kana could keep him knocked out?"

Hatori stared. He hadn't anticipated this.

"We're…all…going?"

"Yes," Melody replied, "he's fought for all of you. Now's your chance to give back, if you want. I'm not going to force anyone, especially those of you who already have kids or are expecting them, but I truly would welcome the extra help."

He gave a firm nod.

"I will help you in any way I can."

They lifted Akito's body out of the snow and took him to the hospital wing. Melody was struggling to breathe by the time they made it there and got him strapped down to the bed.

"Are you all right?" he asked, wishing it didn't sound so stupid. Of course she wasn't all right.

"Just…give me…a minute…"

She clutched at her chest.

"My heart is weakening," she warned, "I don't think I've got much longer. Please go get the others. I'll stay with him."

"Are you sure that—"

"Just go," she said with a firmness that he'd never heard before, "trust Father…and trust me…"

He hurried, hoping he wouldn't find her lifeless when he came back. It took around a half-hour for all the former Zodiac members to make into the hospital. Not a single one of them had declined or hesitated. Even the children were determined to do their part. They all formed a ring around the unconscious Akito. Kana had put the IV line in him and had several syringes full of sedatives ready if Lyt surfaced again. Everyone's face was grim and determined.

"Before we go," Melody said, "I want to say some things. First, no matter what happens in there, do not under any circumstances panic or give up. Everything that's happening is going to Father's plan even if it's not going according to ours. Second, Lyt has been a part of Akito for so long—since his birth—that things may be difficult for him when they're separated. That rage, that fury, that selfishness…those things aren't all Akito's true nature. He'll struggle with his identity at first, and his loss of power. That's natural, but he's going to need your help in rebuilding his life and his very core. Third…"

She faltered, her throat constricting.

"This may be the last time you ever see me, at least in this form. My heart is failing and most of my organs have shut down. Don't be afraid. It doesn't mean I won't be around, it just means I won't be around in this body. I know you're going to miss me and I'm going to miss you all terribly as well, but it's my time to go. Please keep Akito company in the days that follow. He'll be angry and sad and probably difficult because of it, but don't let him shut himself off again. Don't let all this be in vain, all right? I say this with every bit of sincerity I possess: I love you all. And I wouldn't trade my time spent here for anything in the world. Getting to know you all has been one of the biggest fortunes of my existence."

Kisa had silent tears running down her face. Tohru did as well, for she didn't want Kyo to go alone. Melody hugged them one by one.

"All right," she sighed, her own cheeks wet with tears, "let's go."

Taking a deep breath, she felt her heart rate increase. It was as if the now dysfunctional organ was trying to get in as many beats as it could before it stopped.

_I don't want to go…_

The world around them dissolved. One by one, the former Zodiac members poofed into different forms. It was the last time they would ever transform physically, and each was a more powerful version of their former animal. Isuzu was a black pegasus, her mane and tail blazing blue fire. Hatori was a true dragon instead of a seahorse, his long body rippling like the waves that the dragon once called its home. Kureno was a phoenix, his wings blazing brightly with white fire. Kisa was an enormous white tiger, Hatsuharu a minotaur, and Kyo a lion. The world of Akito's mind flared to life around them.

"Poor Akito…" Isuzu remarked.

"Yeah…poor Akito…" Melody agreed. The stench of sulfur was heavy in the air, a mark of brimstone. The sky was blood-red and pools of lava boiled violently all around them. What little land there was consisted of bare rock and ash. Some distance away, there were what looked like ruins of a once beautiful castle.

"Be on your guard here," Melody warned, "there are more of us this time, but I'm willing to bet there are more of them. And Lyt is the most powerful…he is deceptive and cunning. He'll stop at nothing to stop us."

She looked at the gap between the small island that they were standing on and the castle. It was too big to jump across and her limbs felt too heavy to attempt it.

"May I ride on one of your backs?" Melody asked, feeling slightly embarrassed for asking. Hatori landed next to her and she grabbed hold of his horns, not really able to get purchase any other way. The jade-colored dragon gave her a boost with one clawed talon.

"Thanks," she said gratefully. Once she was situated, he rose into the air. The others leapt or flew over the gap and they all moved as one united front, looking for their lost family member.

When Akito woke, he was in what appeared to be a dungeon. Two very demonic-looking guards stood outside his cell. It was stiflingly hot here and the heat made him nauseated. His mouth and tongue were painfully dry. Sitting up, he realized exactly what had happened.

"Melody," he sighed. She had to be around here somewhere. Gathering up his strength, he began to yell her name until one of the demons slugged him through the bars, knocking him into the stone wall. The creature returned to his post as if nothing had happened. Akito, furious, spat out a mouthful of blood. There was no window in this cell and he had no idea of how big this place was. He'd have to figure out a way to escape…

They were halfway up the hill when trouble struck. Demons in every shape, size, and form seemed to come out of nowhere and began to assault them. Hatori was knocked out of the air and sent careening towards the lava. Melody screamed involuntarily and clung to him as tight as she could. He managed to right himself, but the heat was close enough to blister them both. Breathing heavily, Melody squeezed her eyes shut and hoped she wasn't hurting him.

"That was close," she gasped.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm a little singed…how about you?"

He couldn't answer, as there were all manner of winged creatures coming towards them. Hatori opened his mouth and exhaled an enormous fireball at them, taking out several at once. His shocked laugh made everyone smile in spite of the now-battle that was ensuing.

"Go Hatori!" Melody cheered, "You really are a dragon now!"

Empowered, they all began to exercise their new abilities.

"Keep 'em busy! I'll look for Akito," Melody called. Hatori lowered her to the ground, reluctant to leave her. Her skin had taken on a grayish, waxy hue and her face was puffy from fluid retention. But she bravely continued up the hill, determined that neither that nor the pain nor the fear would slow her down.


	43. Chapter 43

Akito let out a yelp of surprise as the red-haired angel appeared in a flash of light. The demons tried to grab him, but he seized them easily and knocked their heads together. The two burly, scaly creatures dropped like sacks of potatoes.

"Where have you been?!" Akito asked angrily.

"I told you I'd be back," he said coyly, slipping the keyring off of one of the demon guards' belts, "we did make a deal, after all."

He unlocked the cell door and let Akito out.

"Where's Melody?" Akito asked.

"Coming to get you, of course. If I were you, I'd hurry up and help her. She's not doing very well on her own."

Akito took one of the swords from the demon-guard's belt, the unsheathing metal sounding sinister in the darkness. It was eerily silent here in the dungeon, but that didn't mean major things weren't going on upstairs.

"I need your help," Akito told him, "I can't do this on my own. I've tried and we see how well that worked out—the bastard almost raped her. If Hatori hadn't come along when he did…"

He shuddered.

"Let's go," the red-haired angel agreed. They made their way up the dungeon. The first trace of movement Akito saw, he swung the sword. A sickening SHING broke the silence and black demon blood sprayed everywhere. Akito gagged a little and stepped over the guard's body very carefully. It smelled even worse than it looked. The angel regarded the creature impassively, something Akito didn't expect.

"She brought the whole crew along," the angel said, "every single one of them."

"She did?" Akito asked, stunned.

"Oh, yes. They all said they wanted to help since you helped them."

Akito managed a small smile.

"You're more loved than you realize," the angel pointed out.

They made it to the surface. Akito was expecting a little respite from the heat, but it only got hotter once they pushed the doors open.

"There's just one thing I don't understand," Akito said, "if they're here and we're inside my mind, where's Lyt?"

The angel had disappeared again. Akito frowned, looking at the place he'd vanished in and his stomach squirmed. Something wasn't right. He just wasn't sure what it was. But the angel had helped him escape, hadn't he? Surely he could trust him?

Akito saw Melody struggling to climb up the rocks and ran to her side. Just as she was about to slip, he caught her. She looked up at him, her eyes sparkling with grateful tears.

"Akito!"

She threw her arms around him.

"How did you get out?"

"That red-haired angel helped me. He said he knew you."

Melody frowned.

"Red haired angel? What was his name?"

"I don't know—he wouldn't tell me. But he knocked out the guards and unlocked the door for me and helped me fight my way back up here."

The chaos of the battle was growing louder.

"What did he look like?" Melody asked.

"Flaming bright red hair, green eyes, about this high," he gestured with his hand, "tanned skin, what does it matter?"

"It matters," Melody said darkly, "it matters because I fought him. He was supposed to be a guardian like me….then he fell."

"He…fell?" Akito was confused.

"He's a demon, Akito. I stabbed him in the gut with my sword and I hurled him out of the clouds," Melody said, suddenly regaining her memories of that fateful day, "I didn't want to…I really didn't…but the others were depending on me…"

A tear trickled down her cheek.

"We were best friends once…and…"

Akito felt a sense of ominous foreboding taking over him as he realized what had happened.

"Lyt is the angel, isn't he?" he asked, his heart pounding with a sickening thud.

Melody nodded.

A wall of the castle seemed to explode when Hatori was thrown into it. The poor dragon was doing his best, but he was bloodied and badly injured. All around them, their family was getting thrashed despite their best efforts to keep the demons off of Melody and Akito.

"He never wanted to save us…" Akito realized darkly, "…he just wanted to stop you."

Melody nodded.

"That sick son of a—I'll kill him myself!" Akito raged, "You stay here! You stay here and I'll come back for you! I swear it, I'll—"

His tirade was cut short when one of the demon creatures was hurled into the rock. The effect was nearly cataclysmic: the fragile shelf of rock crumpled and gave way beneath him and Melody. He managed to stay on solid ground, but she fell. He caught her by the arms just as the ground sank into the hot lava below.

"I've got you," he said shakily, "don't be afraid. I just have to…"

He tried to scoot back, but there wasn't enough room. Never having developed much in the way of upper body strength, he felt his joints popping and the sharp pain shot up his arms and down his back. Melody glanced over her shoulder. The boiling lava was hissing menacingly. Sweat was building on both their skin. She swallowed hard as her feet scraped in vain against the rock for purchase. It was in that moment that she knew it was truly over. There was no way he was going to be able to haul her back up. He wasn't strong enough to and she lacked the strength to help him. She was clinging to consciousness by a thread as her body seemed to be giving in.

"Akito…you have to let go of me," Melody said quietly.

He stared at her, wide-eyed and horrified.

"No!"

"They need you, Akito. I need you to do this. Release me so that I'll be strong again."

He felt the nausea returning.

"I can't do that…"

"Yes, you can. You have to."

A warm tear plopped on her cheek. She felt him shaking.

"Please don't make me do this," he pleaded, his voice cracking.

"It's all right," she said gently, an overwhelming sense of peace drowning the human fear that had held her in its captivity for so long, "I'm not afraid."

Drip. Drip. Two more tears. He could feel his muscles tiring from the strain.

"I love you so much more than you'll ever know. And I always will. Take care of Squishie for me, okay?"

"I love you, too…" he choked out.

Melody released her grip. An instinctual twitch ran through his fingers and hands, certainly not from his willful consciousness, but a primitive urge to release their burden, caused his grip to slacken just enough that their sweaty fingers slid over each other and she fell. Akito tried to catch her again, yelling in protest, but he was too late. Melody's eyes closed and she spread her arms as if embracing her impending demise. He watched, horrified, as a despairing and agonizing scream escaped his lungs. He couldn't look away—he was frozen where he was on the cliff face. It was one of the worst things he'd ever experienced. Her skin blistered and blackened long before she ever hit the lava. Her face seemed to melt away and distort horribly as the skin began to burn. Her clothes caught fire and the flames enveloped her, a morbid and bright shroud. Then, she finally hit the lava and sank below the surface.

Akito's breath kept hitching. The stench of burning flesh reached him and he threw up several times, unable to stop. Crumpled into a ball from both physical and emotional pain, his eyes squeezed shut and he wished it would all be over. He hadn't meant to kill her. He'd tried so hard to keep from it. How would he go on without her?

"It's a shame, really…she was quite beautiful," Lyt's voice said from somewhere behind Akito. Akito finally dragged a stinging breath into his lungs, spitting out the last bitter mouthful of acid. Amid all the grief and sadness and self-hatred that filled him up, there was a small spark of fury. It was Lyt's fault in the first place—all of it! Akito rose on trembling legs and turned to face his adversary. He had no need to speak—the rage was visible on his face.

"I did mention I had a score to settle," Lyt continued, "I just never mentioned with who. Now that that's over with…"

Akito's hand tightened around the sword. He advanced on Lyt, determination giving him strength.

"Don't take it out on me that your wife is dead," Lyt said with a bitter laugh, "it's because of me you had her as long as you did."

He dodged Akito's swing easily.

"I can snuff your life out with the snap of a finger," Lyt taunted him, "but it's more fun to watch you suffer. You should have seen your face!"

He mimicked Akito's pained scream from earlier, which made Akito angrier. Akito almost had him cornered when he teleported again.

"If you're so tough, fight me!" Akito snarled, "Prove it!"

Lyt snickered.

"Oh, I will. But first, I'm going to kill your family. And I'm going to do exactly what you fear the most: make you be completely alone."

He disappeared, leaving a trail of feathers behind.

Akito nearly jumped out of his skin. Amidst the noisy din of the battle, the crumbling rocks, the lava spouts, and the roar of the blisteringly hot wind, he heard a noise that didn't belong: it sounded like a trumpet. And it was getting closer. In spite of the intense heat, he felt chills.

It came again, a loud, clear, crisp sound, both extremely beautiful and terrifying at once. Something in him recognized it—there was some passage in Melody's Bible about trumpet blasts when judgment was occurring. He looked in the direction that it was coming from as it grew louder. The lesser demons that were fighting with his family fled, terrified. They clapped their hands over their ears, running off into the distance.

A glowing blue light was coming nearer and nearer. As its source rose above the edge of the cliff, Akito clapped both hands over his mouth. He sank to his knees as they shook and gave out. A figure approached him, seeming to almost be made entirely of blue flames. Spectral and glass-like, the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen came towards him. In one hand, it carried the trumpet that he must have been hearing. In the other, it carried a sword with a blade that appeared to be made entirely out of white flames.

"Melody?" he asked shakily.

Upon coming closer, he saw that it was her. Her body was very different—the womanly curves of hip and breast were no longer there. It was more androgynous, neither male nor female. Her face, however, was the same sweet face he knew and loved, and her curls seemed to float on an unfelt wind. Her hair was a dark blue, the color of a night sky, and the green of her eyes was much more intense. Behind her unfurled two enormous white wings, the purest white he'd ever seen. She smiled warmly and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

"I'm sorry…" he choked out.

"Don't be. You did as I asked even though it was hard," she said, her voice taking on an otherworldly and ethereal quality, "and now, we defeat Lyt. Ready?"

He nodded.

"First, you must accept Father into your own heart. There will be no room for Lyt and his fellow demons to trick you there. You will be full of the Holy Spirit and be repulsive to them. He will make you stronger than you ever imagined."

Akito closed his eyes, feeling her hand resting on his head. The battle seemed far away in that moment. Her very touch sent colors and music through his mind, sending strength into his limbs. It was uninhibited by her humanity, for now, she had endless strength. She was weightless and limitless, no longer hampered by time or space or lack of strength. The journey had both healed and hurt him, cutting away at all that which would have held him back forever. He had seen things that no other man on this earth had witnessed. He had seen Father, talked to Him, touched him, and saw Him work his miracles. How could he not believe? On his own, he'd been nothing but a selfish, spoiled brat who got sick all the time. He could be so much more with Father's help.

And then, suddenly, it was as if a great, crushing weight had lifted. He felt stronger and the sickness from earlier was gone. A power surged through his body and it was as if someone had shocked him. He actually felt Father's presence in a way he had never felt it before: it was inside of him.

_That's the true God…_his mind acknowledged.

He opened his eyes. Melody smiled and hugged him—then she actually absorbed into him. His flesh, unaccustomed to such a powerful spirit being present, squirmed and pulled away at first, but he felt her spreading through his body and welcomed it. How many married couples could say they'd truly become one like this? And he felt her mind join with his. If he would have been able to see what the others had seen, it would have been nothing short of incredible. His skin took on an electrical blue shimmer much like lightning. When he opened his eyes, they were green instead of blue. The white wings unfurled from his back and the white flaming sword flared, the symbol of the guardians. He was the guardian of the Sohmas and Melody was the guardian of people good and bad alike. The two of them had united.

Lyt himself screamed. His beautiful exterior was melting away, revealing his true nature. His wings were blackened and burnt and Akito could see that one of them was broken. Formerly beautiful and considered the bringer of light, this fallen angel had been one of the first Fallen.

The trumpet blasts had brought reinforcements, Akito saw. They were not alone by any stretch of the imagination. Glowing figures descended into the small circle of Hell that had been his mind for twenty-something years. They flew in V-shaped formations like geese, dive-bombing the demons and driving them into the lava. Some of them rescued the struggling Sohmas and brought them back to solid ground. A squeal of joy escaped his throat—Melody's noise at seeing her own kin again at last—and he rose into the air, blowing into the trumpet once more.

_Let's get him!_

Then, they descended on Lyt. Akito swung the sword, surprised when the blade split into segments. The fire seemed to be a living thing, an extension of God Himself. It sought its target, stretching whiplike from the hilt to snare Lyt on his cowardly retreat. It caught him by one ruined wing and jerked him around. Lyt screamed as the white fire bit into his corrupted flesh. Akito/Melody's hand swung the blade deftly, slicing cleanly through him. Though the blade crisscrossed through him, it left no bleeding wounds, only seams of light. Lyt pled for mercy, but found none. The other angels descended on him, doing the same thing. The castle broke apart and sank into the lava. No longer to withstand the presence of so many of God's children in one area, Lyt succumbed to his eternal death and disappeared in a shower of sparks. Akito and the other angels lapped the area several times, all joyous that evil would never win. Upon landing, he and Melody separated, which left him feeling oddly empty.

"We did it…" he breathed, never so happy or so sad in his life.

Father appeared, carrying the same ethereal shimmer as Melody.

"I am proud to call you my son," he said warmly, embracing Akito. The Sohmas had turned back into humans again, cheering and clapping and hugging.

"Can I have a minute alone?" he asked quietly. Everyone watched as he took Melody's spectral hand in his and walked to the edge of the island (only as far as it was safe). She held him in her arms, though she was feeling less solid by the minute.

"So…I guess this is it…you won't love me anymore…not…the way you did…" he said mournfully.

"I love you even more," Melody corrected him, "without the limitations of my human brain."

He looked up at her with those tragically beautiful sapphire eyes. He didn't need to say it—she could see it there in those depths. She could see the pain and the beauty that loving her had brought him, how he trusted Father completely now even if he didn't always understand what Father was doing or why. He would never again suffer the nightmares or the crippling effects of porphyria or the mysterious fevers. He had his life back and so much more—he had a family now. They were truly his, held in place by a bond much stronger than the curse. Tears streamed down his cheeks, but he made no attempt to resist the inevitable.

"I will always love you…my angel…my dove…"

He held her in his arms one last time. Her light grew brighter and brighter until everyone and everything disappeared into whiteness. Then, the glow faded little by little.

Akito opened his eyes. The restraints had been removed. All the former Zodiac members were all still standing around him in a ring. His bed had been moved so that it was pushed together with the bed to his right side. He turned his head as soon as the shrill beep on the heart monitor became one long drawn out sound. Melody…

He saw the heart monitor first. It, of course, was flat-lining. Melody had just drawn her last breath, her hand still twined around his. No one spoke when he buried his face in her now still chest. He hugged her cooling body to his, his tears soaking into her shirt. Hatori switched off the monitor, leaving a vacuum of silence where the shrill noise had been. Motioning toward the door, he implied that they should probably give Akito a few moments to say goodbye. One by one, they slowly exited.

Akito stroked Melody's hair and kissed her now-cool lips. He held her hand in his until it began to stiffen. Then, he gently placed it across her stomach. The wedding ring and engagement ring sparkled brightly against her pale skin. Even in death, even though this corpse was not the true her, she was still the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.

"Thank you," he whispered, "I don't know if I ever got around to saying that…but thank you…for everything…"

In the days that followed, Akito wasn't sure he'd have made it if it weren't for the others. Hatori and Kana were most generous in letting him stay with them for a few days. Tianshi, who was learning to crawl, often kept herself glued to his lap and kept offering him toys and any slobbery snack she happened to be holding. He'd always smile and thank her for her "presents". She'd coo and giggle at him in return. Squishie also kept close by, never wanting to leave his side. At first, she'd walked all over the house trying to find Melody and whimpered when she couldn't.

"She's gone, you stupid dog! Can't you understand that?!" Akito roared one day. Squishie cowered, so badly frightened that she left a puddle. Then, she was even more scared because she thought she'd get in trouble. Immediately regretting having scared her, he picked her up instead and hugged her.

"I miss her, too, you know," he said as Kyoko quietly cleaned up Squishie's mess, "I miss her so much my chest hurts…but there's nothing we can do."

Squishie licked his cheek. He sighed and put her down. Noticing Kyoko, he said, "Does it ever stop?"

She gave him a sympathetic smile.

"It gets easier, I promise. You can get through anything if you know it's temporary. In the meantime, keep going as if she's never left."

He tried. When dinner was served, he ate with the others in the dining room. Shigure, Kyo, Yuki, and Ayame were frequent visitors and they often brought Tohru and Mine with them. Despite his persistent discomfort with Tohru, Akito was gradually beginning to enjoy her company more. She was very gifted, like Melody, in telling him what he needed to hear. Even Kisa and Hiro were beginning to open up and accept him more. They brought him tickets to a school play and he was one of the first ones to arrive on opening night. He even enrolled in university classes, though he wouldn't be able to start until summer term. Anything was better than hanging around here wishing things were different. There was an open-campus day coming up where he could go and take a tour of the place with some of the other upcoming students. Hatori offered to drive him.

"Sure," he said, "I'll bet you could use a day off, too."

While he never saw Melody, he still felt her presence around in small traces. Now and then, he'd smell her scent or see a flutter of white wings out of the corner of his eye. It was probably her dove form. Once, he even found a white feather that was far too large to be an ordinary bird feather and placed it in his "treasure box" as Melody put it. Sometimes he'd even feel her lay next to him in bed at night once he moved back into the room they'd once shared. He caught himself singing the songs she used to sing at times. It got frustrating sometimes, but at others, it was peaceful. He no longer felt nervous walking around the house at night or in the gardens. He no longer feared closing his eyes only to wake shaking and sweaty from a nightmare or in pain from a porphyria attack. Hatori said he was getting stronger every day.

About a month to the day, Akito dreamed again. He dreamed that he was wandering through the gardens again when he heard laughter. Thinking of Melody, he tried to find the source, but grew frustrated when he couldn't. Angry and sad, he felt a tear dribbling down his cheek.

"Don't be sad, son," Father said, taking the tear on the tip of his finger, "see how it glistens in the light? Like a diamond?"

Not understanding what he meant, Akito watched as Father smeared it into the palm of his hand and blew on it. The tear became a droplet of blood. Father let it hit a patch of bare earth. It appeared to dissolve into the damp earth. Then, much to his horror, the earth seemed to be bleeding. More of it flowed out of a small fissure in the earth.

"Don't be afraid."

Father guided him closer.

"Watch."

The blood formed the outline of a person. In the center of the puddle, it seemed to shiver before congealing into a heart. The heart began to beat and the blood contracted into veins, arteries, and so forth in an incredibly complex network. More internal organs rose out of the earth with a wet squelching sound. Muscles, bones, and fatty tissue came to encase them. Skin formed, still glittering with dew droplets from the earth to cover it all. Before he could finish the dream, however, something woke him.

Akito sighed in frustration.

"Squishie!" he groaned, shoving the dog away. Dog breath in the morning was not his favorite thing to wake up to. Squishie pawed at him frantically. Stumbling out of the bed, he let her outside and rubbed his eyes. His hair was sticking up in a comical cow-lick on one side of his head and his shirt was askew. He tugged it back into place and sat down on the side of the bed. There was a knock at the door.

_There must be a conspiracy to keep me from sleeping in today,_ he thought as he nudged it open with his foot. It was Kisa.

"Is everything all right?" he asked, immediately concerned. Kisa's mom didn't usually let her come over by herself, especially not this early.

"I'm sorry if I woke you," she said sheepishly.

"It was this walking mop that woke me up," he said, gesturing to the very hyperactive dog who bounded in to greet her, "so don't worry about it. Please…come in."

She did, scooting the door open wider and kneeling to pet Squishie.

"I had this dream last night about a garden…and you were in it. And Father was, too. And…"

"Melody?" he guessed.

"Yeah. He made her from a drop of blood. And she was back to normal. Not sick or anything…"

Akito ran his fingers through his messy hair. He was feeling a lot more awake now…it used to be that when they shared dreams, it was something that came from the psychic bond they once shared. Now, he wasn't sure.

"I had the same dream," he said, "only I woke up before I saw who He was making."

"Does it mean she's coming back?" Kisa wondered.

"I'm not sure," he admitted, "I wish I knew."

Kisa looked outside through the open doors. The frigid air was beginning to permeate the room and she shivered. Looking outside, though, she noticed the patches of damp earth appearing in the formerly solid blanket of white coating the garden.

"Look," she told him, pointing, "it's springtime."

Akito gave her a small smile.


	44. Chapter 44

The snow melted, driven away by the rain. Almost every day, the skies would cloud over with lavender-gray clouds and the rain would fall in sheets. The flowers would have trouble thriving in the excessive mud even in spite of the landscapers' noble efforts. Akito spent many of these days in a sleepy haze. It was as though a part of him had gone to sleep and would never truly wake up. Now and then, the grief would come, sharp and deep. But mostly, it left him empty and drained. Most of the Sohmas had never seen anyone try as hard as their head of household did to overcome such an intense sadness. He often took part in as many activities with them as he was asked to, but his gaze would drift to a doorway or a window, his dark sapphire eyes intently watching for a flash of white wings, his ears listening for the echo of a laugh or the verse of a song. One month had passed since Melody's passing, but these habits had not yet started to decrease. He took it upon himself to learn to play her violin. After several days of screeching and scratching on the poor tortured strings, his clumsy hands could produce a passable if not crude tune. Gradually, he improved though he doubted he'd ever be as good as she was. He gave a sympathetic smile to anyone who braved the sour notes to sit and listen for a few minutes. It was during one such day that he stood in the garden. The rains had not quite stopped, but slowed to a gentle drizzle. The clouds were a dark blue-purple-gray piled up in the east. The storm was blowing away and shafts of orange-red and gold were penetrating them. Ordinary mud puddles shone gold like treasures of a promised lands and bright rainbow droplets glittered on flowers and leaves. Little Tianshi wandered about the wet stone walk making a point to stop and sniff every flower she saw while Kana giggled and asked her if they all smelled good. Hatori had closed up the clinic for the night and was admiring what a pretty picture his wife and child made in this light. He glanced in the direction of the music and noticed Akito silhouetted against the orange-red sky in the west. His gaze was distant and Hatori knew his mind was far from here as he drew the bow across the strings. His hold on the instrument was surprisingly gentle, more like a lover's caress than just a person playing music. He knew instantly that Akito was thinking about Melody again and he was sympathetic. In the terrible days after he'd erased Kana's memory, he had been able to think of nothing else.

Tianshi paused at the edge of the walk. Her mother had said not to get in the mud and she was doing the best that a baby girl could to obey her mother. However, Kana had not said she couldn't look at the mud. After all, it was too soft and squishy and shiny in the evening light not to tempt her. The back of her pink raincoat and her purple rain boots stood out sharply against the earthy green and brown of the ground. She was staring at something in rapt fascination and Kana wandered over to see what she was looking at. Staring at the ground in puzzlement, she saw something dark seeping up from it.

"Hatori? What's this?"

Hatori appeared at her side a moment later. At first, the strange substance seemed black due to its darkness, but the golden-orange sunlight highlighted it, revealing it to be a deep red. He dipped his finger in it and examined it. Bringing it closer to his nose, he realized there was no mistaking that metallic smell.

"If I didn't know better, I would say it was blood," he said, clearly puzzled.

Deeply disturbed, Kana picked Tianshi up so that she wouldn't touch it. Squirming and fussing, Tianshi didn't understand what was going on. Akito turned his head toward them, wondering what Tianshi was upset about. He didn't stop playing even as he walked over to join them. Then, he saw what they were looking at.

The blood bubbled and began to solidify. Out of the center rose a heart that seemed to shudder and began to beat. A tangle of arteries and veins sprouted out, spreading in all directions. Akito felt his own heart skip a beat.

As if drawn by some unseen force, the former Zodiac members emerged one by one from the house. All gathering on the walk around Akito, they all watched in silence.

Akito wasn't sure why. He raised the bow and began to play again, the throbbing song rising and falling, somehow expressing his hope and his hurt alike.

The body began to flesh out. It was then that they noticed Father kneeling beside her, something new forming every time he moved his hands. He didn't have to touch it. The very act of willing it to exist was doing all the work. A shimmering white shroud appeared over it before the details of who or what it would be could be determined. Smiling softly, Father glanced up at them.

"Live," He commanded. It was a soft sound that came from his parted lips, but the earth trembled under them and a blast of wind ruffled the trees. The clouds themselves seemed to be swirling, taking on a life force of their own. Then, He leaned over and exhaled His breath into the figure's mouth. A bright flash of light passed from His mouth to the inert figure on the ground. Then, there was a shuddering cough and the figure beneath the shroud began to stir. It sat up and the shimmering, gauzy veil-like shroud fell from its face.

The violin clattered noisily on the walk.

"Take care of my daughter," Father said to Akito, "everything you do, do out of love. Despite your grief, your anger, and your uncertainty, you did not doubt me, nor did you question me. In return for your steadfast faith, I am sending her back to this world for the duration of one human life to live with you."

Unable to speak, Akito hugged Him tightly. Father smiled and returned the pressure. Melody rubbed her eyes and looked around, clearly as surprised as Akito and the others were.

"You didn't tell me," she said almost accusingly to Father.

"It was a surprise," He said warmly, "this body will not expire so quickly, though, of course, you'll have to wait until we're together in Heaven again until you regain your powers."

She nodded. He hauled her to her feet. The shroud rearranged until it became a white dress, long and flowing and surprisingly untouched by the mud. He brought her to Akito, whose breath had frozen in his lungs. Surely this was just another dream, another product of wishful thinking. He reached out to touch her cheek and found it warm and solid and very, very real. A chorus of clapping and cheering erupted from all the others present. Father disappeared in a flash of light, replaced by a dove. Melody and Akito both watched as He flew higher and higher into the sky until He disappeared behind the clouds. Then, he pulled her in for the tightest embrace she'd ever felt. He never had to let her go again. Joyous tears glistened on his cheeks despite his closed eyes. One by one, the others joined in until she was being group-hugged by all of them.

"I love you," Akito whispered when he finally found his voice.

"I love you, too," Melody responded. Though her breath tickled on his ear, it was such a good feeling just to have her breathing at all. He was going to miss the wing-ridges on her back, but that was all right.

The light grew redder and redder until it finally faded. Squishie had found her way to them and was scratching frantically at Melody's leg until she picked her up.

"Missed me that much, did you? MMMMMMMMMMMJJJJJJJJJJJJJ!" She kissed her dog noisily on the forehead. Squishie bark-sang to her, all the while wiggling around so much that Melody struggled not to drop her. She eventually had to put her back down, which was okay with Akito. The dog could wait.

"Replace me yet?" Melody asked jokingly to Hatori over Akito's shoulder.

"No one could replace you," he responded. Melody's cheeks pinked and she smiled. Tianshi giggled and tugged Melody's skirt. Melody swung her up and made her shriek with laughter.

"Goodness! You've grown so much in the last couple of months!" Melody said to her, "Glad I don't have to miss anymore of it!"

It was getting chilly out, so they all went inside. Akito apologized for the slightly scratched up instrument in her hands.

"I heard you play," she said warmly, "you've kept busy while I was away."

"I tried. It was the only way I could stay sane," he admitted, "I thought you were gone forever."

"Not forever. It just would have been a lot longer before you saw me again…at least like this," she said, "I never left you, you know."

"I know," he said, watching her lay the violin in its case, "I could feel you. Sometimes I could smell that perfume you wear. Sometimes I could even feel you laying beside me after I'd wake up from a bad dream."

"I am your guardian, after all."

Despite it not being some formal thing, Sohma House definitely had a party feel to it. It was good to have the scent of coffee brewing in the kitchen again after its absence for several weeks. Everyone was talking at once as they crowded into the dining room though many of them had just had dinner—Melody was hungry, though. She was content to gobble down Kyoko's jelly rolls and listen. Shigure revealed that he'd found a fellow writer to date and things were going well there. Ayame and Mine were going to get married in June. Akito had enrolled in University classes and would be starting the summer term. Isuzu's son was doing quite well and they had chosen a name—Akira, which really touched Akito. Hiro was even getting top grades and was offered the chance to skip to the next grade. Amidst it all, there was praise about how she'd inspired them all to better their lives.

"Father did it," Melody finally said, wiping some raspberry filling from her lips, "I was just the messenger."

It was late into the night by the time they all dispersed. Soon, it was just her and Akito wandering down the hall.

"All your things are still there," he admitted, "I never got rid of any of it. I…I kind of procrastinated. I couldn't stand the thought of throwing it out or giving it away just yet."

"It served a purpose, so don't feel bad!" Melody laughed. He stopped her just so that he could kiss her. God, it was good to hear that laugh again! He had goose-bumps popping up all over the place.

Upon reaching the bedroom, Melody discovered a white backpack sitting on the bed. Upon opening it, she discovered all the various things she'd need to lead a human life: a birth certificate and all the other paperwork and documentation. There was no medical degree, unfortunately, but that would come in time. At least she'd have an excuse to go to school, too.

"Well, looks like He's thought of everything," Melody said, rifling through it all, "like there was ever a doubt."

_Epilogue_

Yun Zhin Sohma was announcing her presence very loudly to the world with her wailing. Her little red scrunched up face was almost comical—or it would have been if she hadn't given Akito such a fright. She'd arrived an unexpected two weeks early, but so far, she seemed to be in good enough health.

"Well…her lungs certainly work, don't they?" Hatori chuckled, wiping away the blood and the amniotic fluid. Akito was still staring in disbelief when his adoptive father placed the squalling creature in his arms while Kana tended to Melody. The heat from the baby's skin was soaking through the towel, still warm from her mother's womb. An exhausted Melody was smiling over at both of them.

_I did this…I made this…well, partly…_Akito thought breathlessly. Hatori clamped off the cord and gave Akito the medical scissors to separate his daughter's life from his wife's. Nervously, and after much assurance that neither girl would feel it, he snipped it with a trembling hand. Then, he sat down in the chair next to Melody's bed so that they could both admire their daughter. Melody had been badgered with ideas for names from the moment that she announced that they were going to have a baby. Akito had made the final decision, narrowing it down to Yun Zhin—literally "Melody's Treasure". Melody had taken an instant liking to it, often doodling it in notebooks and any other surface she could in Chinese characters. Though she'd had plans to go to University along with him, she'd willingly put it off.

"I'll go when she's older," Melody had said, "then you can be home with her. Besides…I get too sleepy to concentrate anyway."

It was a relatively easy pregnancy, considerably easier than Isuzu's had been. The only trouble Melody had was that she fell asleep easily if she stayed still too long and sometimes developed back-aches. She also said she had very vivid, very odd dreams that didn't make much sense. Akito was grateful for that—he'd worried a lot and wouldn't let her do very much despite Hatori's assurances that everything was going well. The more her belly had grown, the more anxious he'd gotten. The day that Father had brought her back to him, he'd been sure he could never love anyone as much as he loved her. And he'd been wrong. The moment he'd felt that first kick, like a ripple beneath Melody's skin, he'd come to love both of them much, much more.

"So you're the one who's been making your mother crave take-out at two in the morning!" Akito remarked to Yun Zhin, "Welcome to the world!"

Melody giggled as he kissed her on her forehead. She already had a shock of black hair. They didn't know yet whether they had her eyes or Akito's, but they would be able to tell once she opened them. She kissed her daughter on the cheek. Now that all the post-delivery cleanup and all that unpleasant stuff was out of the way, the new family posed for pictures. Akito hated parting them, but he did so just for a second, for all the others were waiting outside. Carrying his daughter very carefully across the room, he nudged the door open with his back and was promptly blinded by camera flashes. Waiting on the spots to disappear, he announced, "This is our newest family member as you may have all heard! By now, I'm sure you know that your job is to spoil her and be the ones she goes to when she feels like running away from home and so forth. Just make sure you have her back by bedtime."

Everyone cracked up.

"She's beautiful! Congratulations, Akito!" Tohru exclaimed.

"There's something I never thought I'd see," Kyo confessed to Yuki almost jokingly, "someone actually procreated with him and lived to tell about it!"

The boys shared a laugh.

"Nice to meet you at last, my little flower," Shigure purred, "your mother gave me a great deal of inspiration. I hope that my books are the first ones you learn to read."

He gave her little hand a touch.

"Don't get any ideas, Shigure," Akito said warningly.

"I was referring to my new series of children's books," Shigure said, mocking hurt, "you've wounded me to the quick, Akito."

"Save it for your girlfriend, Mutt," Akito muttered.

Isuzu made her way through the crowd. Akira looked at Yun Zhin with wide eyes, his little hand reaching out to touch her.

"This is your cousin," Isuzu told him, "touch easy, now. She was just born."

Akira placed his little hand very, very carefully on Yun Zhin's. Tianshi, held by Mine, strained forward to get a better look.

"Mama," she mumbled.

"Mama's still inside," Mine told her, "she'll be out to see you in just a minute. She was helping Melody be a mama."

"Mama," Tianshi repeated.

"That's right."

Now that everyone had gotten a chance to see the latest arrival, Akito took her back to her mother. Melody was singing, of course, when they came back inside. Laying their new daughter on her chest, he shrugged and joined in. After all, it wasn't every day that miracles happened, even seemingly ordinary ones like these.


End file.
